AL-HASA (Interstat) — Ali Al Boleahi scored twice and Al Shabab beat Al Fateh 3-1 on Thursday in a match that turned on the visitors’ finishing and their response after conceding before halftime. Al Shabab improved to 2 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw in the competition and across all competitions. Al Fateh fell to 1 win and 3 losses in the competition and across all competitions. The result gave Al Shabab a second win of the season in all matches and left Al Fateh with a third defeat.

Al Shabab opened with intent. Ricardo Mathias put the visitors ahead in the 17th minute. B. Martinez Tobinson R. recorded an assist in the win, and Yacine Adli also set up a goal before his 68th-minute substitution. Al Boleahi doubled the lead in the 31st minute, scoring after Al Shabab pressed into the attacking third. The early goal forced Al Fateh to respond from behind, and the home side had to manage a yellow card shown to Al Boleahi in the 16th minute.

Lukas Haraslin pulled one back for Al Fateh in the 40th minute, scoring the home side’s only goal. Haraslin’s finish gave Al Fateh a chance to regroup at halftime. Al Shabab’s Podence D. was booked in the 44th minute, adding to the visitors’ disciplinary concerns before the break. Al Shabab still carried a 2-1 lead into the interval.

The most important passage came in the 54th minute when Al Boleahi scored again, restoring Al Shabab’s two-goal advantage. The goal gave the visitors control for the final half-hour and capped a performance in which Al Boleahi finished with two goals and a yellow card. Ricardo Mathias scored once for Al Shabab. Lukas Haraslin scored for Al Fateh. B. Martinez Tobinson R. had an assist, as did Yacine Adli and Wilfried Kanga. Kanga’s assist came before his 80th-minute substitution for Al Fateh. Al Boleahi’s second goal proved to be the final goal of the match.

Al Fateh’s Al Jari Z. was booked in the 72nd minute and again in the 75th. Al Shabab’s Podence D. was substituted in the 72nd minute after his first-half booking. Al Fateh’s substitutions included Al Khaibre A. R. at 46, Al Khaibari A. I. and Youssouf Z. at 66, Kanga W. at 80 and Batna M. at 86. Al Shabab’s changes included Al Thani M. at 46, Matuq A. at 67, Adli Y. at 68, Podence D. at 72 and Al Anazi D. at 88. Al Shabab protected its lead through the closing stages and completed the win.

The result followed a mixed start to the campaign for both sides. Al Shabab entered the match after a draw with Al-Faisaly and a win over Al Taawon. Al Fateh had lost to Al Khaleej, beaten Al Hazem and fallen to Al Ahli SC. Al Shabab’s win in this match gave it 2 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw in the competition and across all competitions, while Al Fateh’s record stood at 1 win and 3 losses in the competition and across all competitions. Al Fateh’s earlier win over Al Hazem remained its only victory of the campaign. The visitors’ scoring spread and the home side’s inability to convert possession into a second goal shaped the night.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Al Shabab 5, Al Fateh 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Al Fateh with a 57.3 percent probability to win. Al Shabab had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.25. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 3.25.