Qatar SC Edges Al Shahaniya in 7-Goal Thriller to Open Stars League Season

AL KHOR, Qatar (Interstat) — In a stunning opening-weekend upset, Qatar SC defied pregame projections with a 4-3 victory over Al Shahaniya in a frenetic Stars League match Friday at Al Khor Stadium.

The visitors secured the win with a dramatic 90th-minute goal from substitute João Pedro, capping a match that featured five second-half goals and a resilient comeback attempt from the home side.

Pre-match analytics heavily favored Al Shahaniya, with Interstat’s ELO system giving them a 62 percent probability to win and its game simulator projecting a 1-1 draw. The actual contest proved to be a high-scoring spectacle that deviated sharply from those expectations.

Qatar SC established an early lead, with forward Abdoulaye Traoré opening the scoring in the 24th minute. Al Shahaniya responded just before halftime, as forward Lotfi Madjer found the net in the first minute of stoppage time to level the score at 1-1.

The second half erupted into a goal-filled affair. Qatar SC’s substitutes made an immediate impact, with Naif Al Hadhrami restoring the lead in the 57th minute. Ten minutes later, fellow substitute Ahmed Al Rawi extended the advantage to 3-1.

The two-goal cushion was short-lived. Just two minutes after Al Rawi’s strike, Al Shahaniya’s Faïz Selemani, also introduced off the bench, pulled a goal back to make it 3-2.

Qatar SC appeared to seal the result in the 82nd minute when defender Mohamed Sayyar scored, pushing the lead to 4-2. However, Al Shahaniya continued to press, setting up a tense finale. Their efforts were rewarded in the 90th minute when João Pedro scored for Qatar SC, but it was merely a consolation as the final whistle confirmed the 4-3 scoreline.

The match was a showcase for squad depth, particularly for Qatar SC, with all four of their goals and three of their assists coming from substitutes. In addition to the goal scorers, substitutes Niall Mason, Eisa Ahmad Palangi and Abdulrasheed Ibrahim each recorded an assist. For Al Shahaniya, midfielder Alvaro Sanz and defender Bahaa Mamdouh provided assists.

The competitive match saw five yellow cards issued. Bahaa Mamdouh of Al Shahaniya was booked in the 15th minute, followed by Alvaro Sanz in the 67th. Qatar SC’s Eisa Ahmad Palangi received a yellow in the 77th minute, and late cautions were given to Qatar SC’s Niall Mason and Abdulrasheed Ibrahim in stoppage time.

With the result, Qatar SC begins its Stars League campaign with a victory, moving its league record to 1 win and 0 losses. Al Shahaniya starts the season at 0 wins and 1 loss. The records across all competitions for both clubs are identical to their new league standings.