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Learning From Brazil

June 18, 2013, 1:59 pm
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The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has this week attended the opening round of matches at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, as part of an on-going observation process intended to draw vital learning experiences from the current hosts of the tournament held a year ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

“This increasingly important tournament is an invaluable opportunity for us to learn from the hosting experiences of Brazil, both in terms of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the on-going preparations for the FIFA World Cup here next year. These observations will further assist us to deliver an outstanding tournament in Qatar in 2022” Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said.

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee is also taking part in the FIFA Observers Programme at the Confederations Cup, as Qatar prepares to host the same event in 2021 – a year before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.  This programme incorporates observation of both competition and non-competition venues, including the media centre and security command centre, as well as venue operations, airport operations, transport, branding and signage, ticketing, merchandising, accreditation, volunteers, fan zones, media operations, teams and team base camps.

On Monday, Al Thawadi spoke as a panellist at the Financial Times/International Football Arena Business of Football Summit in Rio de Janeiro, as part of a session which included his counterparts Ricardo Trade, CEO of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, and Alexey Sorokin, CEO of the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee.

Discussing the topic ‘What the Future Holds for World Football,’they held mutually beneficial discussions including ways of optimising the power of the World Cup for the social and economic benefit of the host nation. They also exchanged ideas about how legacy considerations can be implemented into the planning stages of the world’s greatest football tournament.

The world will decide

In regard to the never-ending topic of a winter World Cup vs. a Summer World Cup, Al Thawadi reassured all stakeholders that the decision will have to be made by them.


“There are significant voices in the football community who are saying winter would be perfect. We are willing to have that debate to decide which the best time is. It’s the World Cup, it’s not Qatar’s cup. If we don’t sit down and listen to what the world wants, we would be doing an injustice to the World Cup” he said.

Al Thawadi also pointed out that weather in Qatar during June is not as bad as many people think.

“I have had many people to come to Qatar during June and it wasn’t the horror story people expected that they would burst in flames. It’s not Armageddon” he explained.
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Al Rayyan sign Barrada

July 5, 2013, 1:07 am
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According to local media, Emir Cup Champions Al Rayyan secured their first major summer signing yesterday after agreeing a deal with Getafe attacking midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada.

The 24-year-old Morocco international passed a medical at Aspetar yesterday and is set to be presented in a press conference at the club’s headquarters today.

The press conference was scheduled for yesterday, but was postponed due to a disagreement related to the release clause in the player’s contract with Getafe. 

Over the past couple of years, Barrada attracted interest from major European clubs in Spain and England including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Manchester United, especially in the opening weeks of the 2012-13 LA LIGA season when he scored the winner in a 2-1 win for Getafe against their giant neighbors Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Al Rayyan’s star Rodrigo Tabata might be on his way out of the club. Ittihad Jeddah of Saudi Arabia are interested in signing the 32-year-old Brazilian midfielder.

 
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Barrada deal fell apart

July 6, 2013, 12:31 am
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Abdelaziz Barrada's move to Al Rayyan was canceled after the negotiations between the Getafe midfielder and the club fell through at the last minute in Doha.

The Morocco international passed a medical at Aspetar on Thursday and was set to be unveiled as Al Rayyan player in a press conference on Thursday, but the conference was postponed for 24 hours before the news came out that Barrada left the Qatari capital without reaching an agreement with "The Lions".

Update

On Saturday, news from UAE confirmed that Barrada travelled from Doha to Abu Dhabi and signed a deal with Al Jazirah.
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“Chucho” completes move to Al Jaish

July 6, 2013, 1:59 pm
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"Chucho" the goal machine
After days of conflicting reports linking him with a number of clubs in Qatar and England, Ecuador international Christian Benítez signed a three-year deal with QSL side Al Jaish.

The club confirmed the deal on their official website yesterday.

The 27-year-old, who is known as “Chucho”, has been one of the most prolific strikers in the Mexico over the past few seasons, scoring more than 90 goals in 144 league matches with Santos Laguna and America. He concluded the 2012-13 in style leading America to their first Clausura title in eight years and finishing as top scorer with 17 goals.

Al Jaish confirmed the deal on their website
Tottenham, Swansea City, Al Gharrafa, Al Sadd and Al Arabi were said to be interested in signing Benítez, but after passing a medical at Aspetar on Wednesday it was clear he will sign to a club in Qatar.

“Chucho” made a total of 58 appearances for Ecuador and scored 24 goals.

He will be hoping to emulate the success of his compatriot Carlos Tenorio, who represented Al Sadd between 2004 and 2009, and scored 62 goals in 80 league games.
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Blatter pushes for 2022 World Cup in winter

July 17, 2013, 1:11 pm
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Berlin, Germany - AFP
 
FIFA president Sepp Blatter will push for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to be moved to the winter after getting a personal taste of the Middle East's extremely high summer temperatures.
 
There has been widespread concern over the health dangers posed by staging the tournament in the Gulf in June and July where temperatures rocket to 50 degrees.
 
Blatter insisted on Wednesday that he will push to have the World Cup moved despite the effects it could have on domestic leagues when the FIFA Executive Committee meets in October.
 
"The Executive Committee will certainly follow me," Blatter was quoted by AFP subsidiary, SID, as telling a two-day sports conference in Austria.
 
Blatter said that a recent visit to Jordan and the Palestinian Territories had brought home the dangers of the intense heat.
 
He expressed his fears despite the Qataris' ambitious plans to build air-conditioned arenas.
 
"It is clear that you cannot play in this heat in the summer and we have to consider the players," he said.
 
"It is certainly possible to cool a stadium, but not an entire country. That's why we need to have courage in the Executive Committee and to create awareness among the leagues that we need to change something."
 
Qatar plans to spend around £65 billion ($101 billion, 76 billion euros) on infrastructure projects, including building new high-tech stadiums, which the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said would likely cost $4-5 billion.
 
Average temperatures in Qatar are markedly cooler in December, with highs of 24C and lows of 15C.
In June this year, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino added his weight to calls for the 2022 World Cup to be staged later in the year.
 
"I fully share the view that you have to play in the best period for football; that is not June or July in Qatar. This is an issue that FIFA has to sort out," he said.
 
"The sooner they do it, the better. The decision for 2022 was taken in 2010, so in 12 years you can organise yourself."
 
Qatar has already said it was ready to host the World Cup in summer or in winter.
 
"Various figures from the world of football have raised preferences for hosting in the winter," the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said in a statement earlier this year.
 
"We are ready to host the World Cup in summer or winter. Our planning isn't affected either way."
 
The committee said it planned to provide air-conditioning in stadiums, training area and public zones, and would do so with renewable energy.
 
"We will forge ahead with implementing and developing this technology. Our commitment to this is grounded in the legacy it will offer for Qatar and countries with similar climates."
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El Jaish star Benitez dies aged 27

July 29, 2013, 7:28 am
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New El Jaish signing Christian Benitez has tragically died today, just hours after making his competitive debut against Qatar SC at Sheikh Jassim Cup on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Ecuador international joined El Jaish this summer in a $15m move from America of Mexico.
Details to follow soon
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Al Rayyan are the 2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup Champions

September 7, 2013, 10:22 pm
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Celebration - Photo: http://www.alrayyansc.com
Moussa Haroun and Rodrigo Tabata were on target as Al Rayyan defeated Al Khurtiyath 2-0 on Saturday to retain Sheikh Jassim Cup title.
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Friendly International - Qatar (1) Lebanon (1)

September 9, 2013, 11:50 am
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Qatar were held to a 1-1 draw by Lebanon in a friendly international in Doha on Monday.

Bilal Najjarin put the visitors ahead in the 33rd minute with a wonder strike from over 30 yards. The 2012 Lebanese player of the year met a brilliant back-heel pass from Onika with powerful right foot shot that curved sharply leaving Qassim Burhan no chance to stop it.

Three minutes after the break Sebastian Soria benefited from poor defending to level the score with a far post header after a good cross from Youssef Moftah. The Lekhwiya striker scored the winner against Lebanon in two previous 1-0 victories for Qatar during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Both sides failed to make it to Brazil.

It was Lebanon's first ever draw against Qatar who won all previous six meetings between the two sides. An impressive result for the "The Cedars" and their new coach, former Roma legend Giuseppe Giannini, who made a winning debut with the team few days ago as they defeated Syria 2-0 in another friendly  

Al Ennabi will now take a break as the players return to their clubs for the start of the 2013-14 Qatar Stars League which kicks off on Friday. The team will host Vietnam in a friendly on October 9th, before facing Yemen in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on October 13th in Doha.  

Provisional Result

Qatar (1) [Soria 48']
Lebanon (1) [Najjarin 33']

Qatar

Qassim Burhan; Ibrahim Al Ghanem, Mohamed Kasula, Youssef Moftah (62' Hamed Ismael), Abdul Karim Hassan (79' Adil Lami); Talal Al Baloushi (62' Khaled Abdul Raouf), Wissam Rizk (66' Abdullah Afifa), Hassan Al Haydos (74' Ali Afif), Khalfan Ibrahim (62' Jeddo); Abdul Kader Elias (74' Maged Mohamed), Sebastian Soria (74' Jarallah Al Marri)

Lebanon

Abbas Hassan (68' Rabea Al Khakhi); Mohamed Ali Khan (21' Hassan Al Zaher), Ali Hammam (46' Zein El Tahan), Bilal Najjarin, Walid Ismael; Hamza Salama, Hassan Shaito (Moataz Gonaidi), Onika (55' Nader Matar), Abbas Atwi (Mohamed Shams), Hussein Awada; Hassan Mattouk (73' Rabea Yahya)






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QSL 2013-14 Preview - Umm Salal

September 9, 2013, 4:59 am
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-The club from the northern municipality of Umm Salal was founded in 1979 as Al Tadmon, before being disbanded in the late eighties. It was reestablished again in 1996, and later carried the name of its municipality in 2004.

-With French-Moroccan coach Hassan Hormatallah, the Falcons of Barazan took Qatari football by storm in the 2006-07 season when they finished third in their first ever top flight appearance. 

-In the 2007-08 season, another Frenchman, Laurent Banide, led them to the biggest achievement in their short history, as they won the Emir Cup title after a penalty shoot-out victory over Al Gharrafa.

-The team continued their tradition of hiring French coaches, and in 2009; Gerard Gili led them to a stunning semi-final appearance in the AFC Champions League, but since then the team went on a downward spiral, and after few turbulent seasons that saw them surviving their place in the QSL at the end of the 2011-12 season through a relegation-promotion playoff, Gili, who was in his second spill as coach of the club, was replaced by his countryman Bertrand Marchand.

- Marchand was sacked after a poor start to the second half of the 2012-13 season, and his compatriot Alain Perrin was brought in. The 56-year old, who led Lyon to a league and cup double in 2008, was able to change the team’s fortune as they ended the season in an impressive fifth place. 

-Perrin came to Qatar in 2010 to coach Al Khor, and he led the team to a fifth place finish in the 2011-12 season, before spending two unsuccessful spells as coach of the Qatar U-23 squad and Al Gharrafa. 

-One of the main reasons of the team’s decline at the second half of last season was the return of their star striker Meher Yousef to his original club, Al Jaish. The 25-year-old Qatar international was in superb form in the first half of the season, and scored six goals in 11 appearances for the Falcons, but Al Jaish decided to recall him in order to strengthen their squad for the AFC Champions League.

-The Falcons strengthened their squad in the summer by acquiring a number of experienced players, like former Ivory Coast international Bakari Koné, right-back Saad Sattam (Al Jaish) and midfielder Younis Ali (Al Rayyan).

-The biggest news was the return of their star midfielder Fabio Cesar from Al Rayyan on a free transfer, but the 34-year-old, who was part of the squad that reached the semi-finals of AFC Champions League, suffered an Achilles injury during training and will be out till November.   

-The most notable exits were centre-back Medhat Mostafa who returned to Qatar Sports Club after his loan spell ended and experienced midfielder Mohamed Yasser who opted for a return to his former club Al Gharrafa. 

-The team will kick off their league campaign against newly promoted Muaither on September 13th.

Players to Watch

Brazilian striker Caboré, 33, is the main target man, and is a former QSL top scorer.

Australia international Sasa Ognenovski, 34, is a former AFC Player of the Year, and is one of the best centre-backs in the league.

Moroccan midfielder Othman Al Assas, 34, is a former QSL champion with Al Gharrafa.

Al Assas (R) during a friendly match against FSV Zwickau
(Picture: http://www.fsv-zwickau.de/)

Former Ivory Coast international Bakari Koné, 31, a skillful attacking midfielder, joined them this summer from Qatar Sports Club, also a former QSL Champions with Lekhwiya.

Saad Sattam Al Shammari, 34, joined the team on a free transfer from Al Jaish, an experienced right back who made his name with Al Gharrafa, also another former QSL Champion. 

Younis Ali, 30, a Qatar international, joined the team this summer from Al Rayyan, dynamic and relentless, will bring a lot of creativity to the midfield. 

Fabio Cesar, 34, Qatar international, a creative midfielder and a set-piece specialist, returned to the eagles after 3 and half seasons with Al Rayyan. 

Verdict

With a talented coach like Perrin and plenty of experience in the team, the Falcons of Barazan are set to survive another season in Qatar Stars League, finishing among the top four looks beyond their capabilities at this stage.

2013-14 Pre-Season

Kicked off their preparations in Doha on July 2nd, before travelling to Dresden, Germany for a three-week training camp, that included three friendly games,

vs. Banik Most (CZE) 1-1 [Cabore]   
vs. FC Eilenburg (GER) 0-0
vs. FSV Zwickau (GER) 0-1

They were also knocked out of the group stage of Sheikh Jassim Cup,

vs. Al Ahli3-0[Yasser Kazim, Fabio Cesar, Khaled Jabarti]
vs. Lekhwiya0-1
vs. Al Wakrah0-1

and held QSL champions Al Sadd to a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Doha on September 7th,

vs. Al Sadd1-1 [Ahmed Abdul Maqsood]

Transfers

In

Fabio Cesar (Al Rayyan), Bakari Koné (Qatar Sports Club), Ahmed Abdul Maqsod (Lekhwiya), Mohamed Al Hajj (Al Sailiyah), Saad Sattam Al Shammari (Al Jaish), Yasser Kazim (Muaither), Younis Ali (Al Rayyan), Jawad Ahnach (Al Gharrafa, loan return)

Out

Medhat “Mido” Mostafa (Qatar Sports Club, loan return), Younis Yaqoub (Al Rayyan), Mohamed Yasser (Al Gharrafa)

2012-13 Stats & Figures

League Stats
Final position5th
Matches played 22
Victories 9
Draws 4
Defeats 9
Goals Scored 30
Goals Conceded 37(third weakest defense after Al Sailiyah & Al Arabi)
Most Appearances
Aden Ali (22 matches)

Top Scorers
Cabore (8 goals), Othman Al Assas (6) and Meher Yousef (6)

Biggest Victory
3-1 vs. Al Arabi (at home – Matchday 8)
3-1 vs. Qatar Sports Club (at home – Matchday 20)

Biggest Defeat
0-5 vs. Al Rayyan (at home – Matchday 2)

2013 Emir Cup
Reached quarter-finals, knocked out by Al Sadd (0-1)

2013 QNB Cup
Group Stage
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QSL 2013-14 Preview - Muaither

September 12, 2013, 7:39 am
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-Last May,  after a 2-1 defeat to Al Arabi, Mauither fans suffered the heartbreak of losing the promotion-relegation playoff for the second straight season, but few weeks later the good news came, with the surprise decision of the football authorities to expand the league to 14 teams, which meant that Muaither will be promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history.    

- The club was founded in 1996 in the neighborhood of Muaither, near Al Rayyan Municipality, and eight years later it carried the name of its neighborhood.

- Mauither is nicknamed "Kuhaylan" which is a famous Arabian Horse Strain.  

- Their biggest ever achievement was winning the 2003 Sheikh Jassim Cup title after a 2-1 victory over Al Wakrah in the final.

-Last season's top scorer Jean-Paul Eale Lutula (Rwanda) moved to the second division side Al Markhiya.

- Their coach last season was Mohamed Sahel (Morocco).

-The task of keeping the club in top flight was handed to Spain-born French coach Ladislas Lozano. The 61-year-old is making his return to Qatar for the first time since 2008, his best achievement in this region was leading Al Rayyan to the Emir Cup title in 2006. He also coached Al Sailiyah and Al Khor without achieving much success.

- Lozano made the headlines in 2001 when he led the Amateur side Calais to the final of the French Cup before losing to Nantes 2-1.

Players to Watch

Jhasmany Campos, the 25-year-old Bolivia international is a highly creative midfielder, with great play making skills and powerful long range efforts. He is a product of Tahuichi Academy, the same academy that produced Bolivian legends Marco Etcheverry and Erwin Sanchez.

Fozil Musaev, a promising 24-year-old midfielder who joined Uzbekistan giants Bunyodkor this year from Nasaf Qarshi. He played 12 full internationals, and also represented his nation on various youth levels, and he was also part of Nasaf side that won the 2011 AFC Cup title. a kind of experience that will be vital for Mautiher in their QSL debut season.

Ezzat Jadoua, a 30-year-old midfielder with plenty of experience, was part of the national team that played in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China, and his previous clubs include Al Sadd, Al Arabi and Al Ahli.

Verdict

Survival should be the main target for Muaither this season, but with an experienced coach like Lozano and a number of promising signings, expect them to pull out some surprise results against more experienced opponents.

2013-14 Pre-Season

They started their preparations for the new season on June 30th in Doha, then traveled to France on August 12th for a three-week training camp.

The team played a number of friendlies in France, that included a 4-0 defeat against Cameroon U-23 and a 3-0 defeat to UNFP, they also lost 2-0 to Al Arabi in a friendly in Doha in mid-July. 

In this year's Sheikh Jassim Cup, Muaither failed to get past the group stage, but they were able to record two victories in four games,

vs. Al Sadd1-2[Jhasmani Campos]
vs. Al Khor1-0 [Ayman Abdullah] 
vs. Al Khurtiyath 0-2vs. Mesaimer 2-0 [Ayman Abdullah - Fozil Musaev]

Transfers

In

Leandro Padovani (Foolad, Iran), Djordje Djikanovic (Celik, Montenegro), Jhasmani Campos (Bolivar, Bolivia, on loan), Fozil Musaev (Bunyodkor, Uzbekistan), Mohamed Hares (Al Gharrafa), Ali Aloub (Al Gharrafa), Salman Musabah (Al Sailiyah), Khaled Seif Al Hajari (Al Ahli), Omar Tabra (Al Ahli), Saud Salem Al Ali (Al Khor)

Out

Jean-Paul Eale Lutula (Al Markhiya), Yasser Kazim (Umm Salal)

2012-13 Stats and Figures

Second Dvision Stats
Final position2nd
Matches played 15
Victories 7
Draws 6
Defeats 2
Goals Scored 29 (The top scoring team in the second division)
Goals Conceded 22 

They also played the relegation promotion-playoff against Al Arabi,
it ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Top Scorer
Jean-Paul Eale Lutula (15 goals), Johnson Kendrick (7)

Biggest Victory
4-1 vs. Mesaimer (Matchday 11)

Heaviest Defeat
2-3 vs. Al Ahli (Matchday 14)
2-3 vs. Al Shamal (Matchday 8)

2013 Emir Cup
Round 2 - Suffered a 6-5 penalty shoot-out defeat against Al Arabi
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QSL 2013-14 Preview - Al Sadd

September 12, 2013, 7:39 am
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-Despite missing out on a historic quadruple last season, Al Sadd fans will be more than satisfied with what the team achieved, as they clinched their 13th league title to end a six year drought that saw teams like Lekhwiya, AL Jaish and Al Gharrafa dominating the local scene.

-With Moroccan coach Hussein Amotta replacing Uruguayan Fossati, the team made a perfect start to the 2012-13 season with nine victories in their first nine games, and that was crucial. In addition,  the arrival of Spain legend Raul Gonazlez, the return to form of Khalfan Ibrahim, and the rise of new young stars like Abdul Karim Hassan , have all helped in the return of the wolves to the top of Qatari football.

-In February 2014, the team will make a return to the AFC Champions League, hoping to emulate their 2011 successful campaign, when they defeated Jeonbuk Motors in the final to clinch their second title in the competition, before finishing an impressive third in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan a month later.  

-Al Sadd was one of the quietest teams in the transfer market this summer, deciding to keep the foreign trio of Raul Gonazalez, Nadir Belhadj (Algeria) and Lee Jung soo (South Korea). The fourth foreign player will be either Leandro da Silva (Brazil) or Mamadou Niang (Senegal), both made their return to the team after loan spells at Gamba Osaka (Japan) and Besiktas (Turkey) respectively.  

-The team renewed the contracts of a number of players including Ibrahim Maged, Raul, Belhadj, Hassan Al Haydos and Lee.

-Veteran midfielder and Qatar international Wisam Rizk, 32, decided to leave the club after nine successful seasons, and signed a two-year contract with Al Jaish.

-Al Sadd have one of the best youth teams in the country, last season the reserve team won the reserve league title after an 8-0 win over Lekwhiya reserves in the final, and Amotta is expected to give more chances this season to a number of promising youngsters, like Saleh Badr Al Yazidi, Ali Assad, Nasser Nabil, Hamza Al Sanhaji and Mahdi Ali.

-Ibrahim Maged, a main pillar in Al Sadd's defense, will be out for at least six months, after suffering a knee ligament injury last month.


Players to Watch

Raul Gonzalez, despite turning 36 in June, the former Real Madrid legend is in a class of his own, his vision and experience will be crucial for the wolves in their quest to stay on top.

Khalfan Ibrahim, the former AFC Player of the Year, was in his best ever form last season and surely deserved the player of the season award. A highly creative attacking midfielder with a good eye for goal.

Abdul Karim Hassan, 20, last season's Young Player of the Year, a pacy left back with plenty of skill, and a powerful left foot.

Nadir Belhadj, although the former Portsmouth winger and Algeria international, had to settle for a more central role in AL Sadd's midfield with the brilliant performances of Abdul Karim Hassan on the left flank, his power and perfect passing ability made the difference in many games last season.

Hassan Al Haydos, a versatile right winger who was given a more defensive role last season. He is known for his perfect crosses and precise long range efforts.     

Verdict

If stars like Raul and Khalfan were able to reproduce last season's form, "The Wolves"  will surely be the main contenders for another league title, but reinforcing their front line in the winter break will be crucial, especially with the team taking part in the 2014 AFC Champions League

2013-14 Pre-Season

Al Sadd kicked off Doha their preparation for the new season in Doha on July 1st, took part in Sheikh Jassim Cup and were knocked out from the group stage, and then underwent a training camp in Austria nd Spain between 11-25 August.

the wolves were also involved in two commemoration matches for Raul, the first was against Schlake on July 28th and ended in a 9-0 victory for the German team, while the second was against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu Cup on August 22nd and the Spanish giants won 5-0. Raul played for the opposing teams for a single half in both fixtures and scored.

In other friendlies, the team defeated Bani Yass (UAE) 2-1, Al Markhiya 4-0 and Al Wakrah 1-0, while losing to Al Ahli 0-3 and Qatar SC 1-2

2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup

vs. Muaither2-1 [Saleh Badr Al Yazidi, Mesaad Al hamad]
vs. Al Khurtiyath2-0 [Hamza Al Sanhaji, Ali Asad]
vs. Al Khor1-5 [Raul Gonzalez]
vs. Mesaimer 0-1

Transfers

In

Mamadou Niang (Besiktas, loan return), Leandro da Silva (Gamba Osaka, loan return), Mohamed Abdul Rab (Al Khurtiyath, loan return)

Out

Wisam Rizk (Al Jaish), Younis Mahmoud (retired), Abdul Aziz Al Ansari (Eupen, Belgium - was on loan to Al Khurtiyath), Mohamed Moussa (Al Jaish, was on loan to Al Jaish)

2012-13 Stats and Figures

League Stats
Final position1st
Matches played 22
Victories 16
Draws 3
Defeats 3
Goals Scored 47 (Second best attack behind Al Rayyan)
Goals Conceded 23(Second best defense behind Lekhwiya)

Most Appearances
Raul González, Hassan Al Haydos (22 matches)

Top Scorers
Khalfan Ibrahim (10 goals), Raul González (9) Hassan Al Haydos (5)

Biggest Victory
5-2 vs. Qatar Sports Club (Away – Matchday 2)

Biggest Defeat
2-4 vs. Al Rayyan (at home – Matchday 17)

2013 Emir Cup
Runner-up, lost to Al Rayyan (1-2)

2013 Heir Apparent Cup
Runner-up, lost to Lekwhiya (2-3)

2012 Sheikh Jassim Cup
Runner-up, lost to Al Rayyan (0-1)

2013 QNB Cup
Group Stage
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QSL 2013-14 Preview - Al Rayyan

September 12, 2013, 7:39 am
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-Al Rayyan is arguably the team with the biggest fan base in Qatar, alongside Al Arabi, but the club's supporters who are nicknamed "The Nation  of Al Rayyan" are starting to lose patience.

-Eighteen years have passed since their team have won the league title, coaches from Poland, Denmark, Brazil, France, Sweden, Netherlands and Algeria failed to lead the team back to league glory, despite having at times world class players in their squads, like Sonny Anderson (Brazil), Mario Basler (Germany) and Fernando Hierro (Spain).

-Last season "the lions" showed glimpses of progress, with the arrival of a world class striker like Nilmar, they were serious contenders for the top spot in the league in the first half of the season.

-The second half of the season saw their form declining especially with their involvement in the AFC Champions League group stage, where they were the only Qatari team failing to get past the group stage, after winning only one game in six matches against Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Al Ain (UAE), Esteghlal (Iran).

-The team's main problem was defending, as they conceded 37 goals in the league (third weakest defense after Al Sailiya  and Al Arabi) and 14 in the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

-Their only major signing this season was Juan Forlin from Espanyol. The 25-year old Argentinean is a product of Boca Junior's youth system and can play in either central defense or midfield.

-They were on the verge of signing Moroccan star Abdelaziz Barrada from Getafe but the deal fell through in the last minute as he opted to sign for Al Jazirah of UAE. Abel Hernandez (Palermo, ITA) was also linked with a move to the club but it was never completed.

-A number of players were linked with a move out of the club this summer, including Nilmar (Internacional), Jarallah Al Marri (Al Khurtiyath) and Rodrigo Tabata (Ittihad Jeddah), but the club's management was successful in retaining the players.

-Veteran midfielder and Qatar international Fabio Cesar did not renew his contract and opted to make a move back to his older club Umm Salal. another major exit was experienced midfielder and Qatar international Younis Ali who also joined Umm Salal.

-The Club's president Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani resigned this summer, and Sheikh Saud bin Khaled bin Hamad Al Thani took charge of the club on temporary basis until the next elections in 2014.

Players to Watch

Nilmar, 29, a former Brazil international who was part of the side that took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, had a successful first season in Qatar, and if he can keep up the form he showed during the pre-season period, the QSL top scorer will surely be his.

Rodrigo Tabata, 32, the 2012 player of the year, joined Al Rayyan in 2010 and quickly established himself as the main star of the team, has plenty of skill and is a free kick specialist.

Juan Forlin, 25, with over 100 La Liga games with Espanyol, Al Rayyan fans will expect a lot from the Argentine midfielder, who can also play as a center-back.

Hamed Ismail, 25, a versatile right winger, who made his name with Al Arabi before joining AL Rayyan, a constant threat to any defense with his pace and skills.

Jarallah Al Marri, 25, one of the best Qatari strikers in the league, but he struggles to keep a regular place in Al Rayyan's starting line-up with the presence of Nilmar and Tabata.

Verdict

Nilmar and Tabata have been in great form during the pre-season stage, but with no back up players with similar quality and a defense line that needs serious investment, winning the league title looks beyond the team's reach. Another top-four finish is the most likely.

2013-14 Pre-Season

Preparations for the new season started on July 10th at the club's home stadium in Al Rayyan, ten days later they kicked of their Sheikh Jassim Cup campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Al Arabi.

That was followed by a 5-0 hammering of Al Gharrafa and 2-0 win over Al Markhiya, only goal difference gave them a place in the semi-finals of the competition ahead of Al Gharrafa and Al Arabi.

A training camp in Netherlands between 12-28 August, was the next stage, it included three friendly games, a 0-0 draw with Al Shabab (UAE), a 3-4 defeat against Eupen (Belgium) and a 1-2 defeat against Schalke 04 II (Germany).

After returning to Doha, Al Rayyan defeated Al Wakrah 3-0 in the semis of Sheikh Jassim Cup, before beating Al Khurtiyath 2-0 in the final to retain the title.

2013 Sheikh Jassim Cup Results

GPAvs. Al Arabi 1-2 [Fahd Khalfan]
GPA vs. Al Gharrafa 5-0 [Tabata (2), Moussa Haroun, Nilmar, Saleh Al Marri]
GPAvs. Al Markhiya2-0 [Ahmed Alaa, Tabata]
SF vs. Al Wakrah3-0 [Nilmar (2), Tabata]
F vs. AL Khurtiyath2-0 [Haroun, Tabata]


Transfers

In

Juan Forlin (Espanyol, Spain), Younis Yaqoub (Umm Salal)

Out

Fabio Cesar (Umm Salal), Younis Ali (Umm Salal)

2012-13 Stats and Figures

League Stats
Final position4th
Matches played 22
Victories 11
Draws 4
Defeats 7
Goals Scored 49 (Best in the league)
Goals Conceded 37(third weakest defense after Al Sailiyah and Al Arabi)

Most Appearances
Omar Barry and Rodrigo Tabata (22 matches)

Top Scorers
Nilmar (14 goals), Rodrigo Tabata (11) and Jarallah Al Marri (8)

Biggest Victory
5-0 vs. Umm Salal (Away – Matchday 2)

Biggest Defeat
1-4 vs. Al Sailiyah (at home – Matchday 5)
1-4 vs. Al Sadd (at home – Matchday 6)

2013 Emir Cup
Champions, defeated Al Sadd 2-1 in the final

2013 Heir Apparent Cup
semi-finals, out after a 3-1 defeat to Al Sadd

2012 Sheikh Jassim Cup
Champions, defeated Al Sadd 1-0 in the final

2013 AFC Champions League
Group stage

2013 QNB Cup
Group Stage
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QSL - Matchday 1 Preview

September 13, 2013, 5:22 am
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September 13, 2013
Al Sadd vs. Al Rayyan
Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Al Sadd Club
18:15 (Doha)
QSL champions Al sadd will kick off their campaign at home against their bitter-rivals Al Rayyan in this season’s first “Clasico”.
Despite winning their first league title since 2007, Al Sadd suffered a 4-1 defeat in the same fixture last season, and were also beaten by “the lions” in the finals of Sheikh Jassim Cup and Emir Cup, to miss on a possible treble.
Nilmar and Rodrigo Tabata were in top form during the pre-season stage, and Al Sadd’s defense will be put to the ultimate test today especially with the absence of center-back Ibrahim Maged, who suffered a knee ligament injury last month and will be out till February next year.
Al Sadd will be hoping to repeat last season’s perfect start when they recorded nine straight league victories, thanks to the superb form of Spanish legend Raul Gonzalez and last season’s player of the year Khalfan Ibrahim. Both are expected to be among the starting eleven today.
Al Sailiyah vs. Lekhwiya
Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan Club
20:30 (Doha)
Last season’s runner-ups Lekhwiya will face Al Sailiyah who finished bottom last season before being saved by a decision to expand the league to 14 teams.
There are no major changes on Lekhwiya’s side, as Belgian coach Eric Gerets, will have the same foreign players, Nam Tae Hee (South Korea), Youssef Msakni (Tunisia), Madjid Bougherra (Algeria) and Issiar Dia (Senegal). The team will also welcome back last season’s top scorer Sebastian Soria who missed crucial games at the end of last season due to injury.
New Al Sailiyah coach Sami Al Trabelsi (Tunisia) will be hoping that his side learned from last season’s mistakes.
The club retained Brazilian centre-back Tavares and Burkina Faso striker Momouni Dagano, and signed two new foreign players, Congolese striker Diba Ilunga and Bahraini talented winger Faouzi Ayesh.
Umm Salal vs. Muaither
Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium, Qatar SC
20:30 (Doha)
New comers Muaither have signed a number of interesting names in the summer including Bolivia international Jhasmani Campos, who is a product of the famous Tahuichi Academy in his homeland, and by signing  a coach who knows Qatari football very well, Ladislao Lozano (France) who previously led Al Rayyan to the Emir Cup title in 2006, you can expect them to pull out some surprises.
Meanwhile, Umm Salal will be hoping to repeat the form they showed in the closing weeks of last season, when they finished a surprise fifth with coach Alain Perrin (France). They added more attacking power to the squad by signing former Ivorian international Bakari Kone’ from Qatar Sports Club, in addition to experienced players like Younis Ali (Al Rayyan) and Saad Sattam Al Shamarri (Al Jaish).
Star midfielder Fabio Cesar who rejoined the team this summer from Al Rayyan, will not be available for the game, due to an Achilles tendon injury that will keep him out till November.
Al Khor vs. Qatar Sports Club
Al Khor Stadium, Al Khor
20:30 (Doha)
Qatar Sports Club will have a tough opening game away against Al Khor.
Brazilian coach Sebastiao Lazaroni strengthened his squad in the summer by signing former QSL top scorer Adriano from Al Jaish, Korean midfielder Shin Jin Ho from Pohang Steelers and Brazilian defender Douglao from Sporting Braga.
The Brazilian attacking trio of Julio Cesar, Madson and Bruno Mineiro were at their best last season and will once again be the ones to watch this season, a good start for Laszlo Bologni’s squad will be crucial if they expect to finish among the top-four this season.
September 14, 2013
Al Ahli vs. Al Gharrafa
Grand Hamad Stadium, Al Arabi Club
18:15 (Doha)
Back to the top-flight after a one-year absence, Qatar’s oldest club, Al Ahli will kick off their season against the revamped squad of seven time champions Al Gharrafa.

All eyes will be on the visitors who signed Brazilian legend Zico as their new coach, and also brought in Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez to strengthen their front line.
Al Ahli is coached by the Czech Milan Máčala, one of the regions most experienced coach. They have powerful front line that includes the Congolese duo of Dioko Kaluyituka and Mulota Kabangu. Other players to watch talented goalkeeper Basil Zaidan and experienced striker Waleed Hamza.
Al Arabi vs. Al Jaish
Grand Hamad Stadium, Al Arabi Club
20:30 (Doha)
After one of their worst ever seasons, Al Arabi will be aiming for a positive start against Al Jaish, one of the new giants of Qatari football.
Al Arabi is arguably the club with the biggest fan base Qatar, alongside Al Rayyan. This summer they brought in their German coach Uli Stielike, and signed a large number of new players that included Venezuelan midfielder Jesus Meza, Algerian midfielder Karim Ziani, Bahraini  defender Sayed Adnan, I addition to Qatar internationals Mohamed Razak and Marconi.
After two successful seasons with Al Jaish, Ziani, one of the best playmakers in the league, will kick off the new season against his former club.
For Al Jaish it was an unforgettable summer in which they suffered the shock of losing their star signing Chrisitan Benitez less than 24 hours after making his debut in Sheikh Jassim Cup. The Ecuadorian star died from natural causes related to heart problems.
They will also have to do without their star striker Adriano who joined Qatar Sports Club.   
Their most notable signing was former France U-21 international Jires kembo Ekoko, who joined the club on loan from Al Ain of UAE.
Al Khurtiyath vs. Al Wakrah
Al Khor Stadium, Al Khor
20:30 (Doha)
Al Wakrah was one of the most active clubs in the transfer market this summer.
Iraqi coach Adnan Dirjal made his sixth return to the team over the past two decades, and they signed Argentine Sebastian Saez, who was one of the best strikers in Chilean Primera División with Audax Italiano, and Brazilian Michel Souza, on loan from Sporting Braga. The duo will surely add plenty of attacking power to the team.
Al Khurtiyath also decided to change their coach, bringing in Frenchman Bertrand Marchand, to replace his compatriot Bernard Simondi. Their most notable signing this summer was Youssef Kaddioui, a skillful attacking midfielder who has a previous spell in Saudi Arabia with Al Wehda of Mecca.
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Qatar is the right place for the 2022 World Cup, Al Thawadi tells BBC

September 13, 2013, 8:37 am
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Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Organizing Committee, has insisted that there is no reason to move the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals from Qatar.

"We've worked very, very hard to ensure we're within the rules of the bidding, within the rules of the hosting agreement, and at the same time we're delivering on all the promises that we've made. We're working very hard to deliver it. The commitment is there" he told BBC in an interview that will be broadcasted on BBC Radio 5 live sport from 21:00 (Doha Time) on Friday, and at 14:15 (Doha Time) Saturday on Football Focus.  

He also added that Qatar is representing the Middle East, and is the right place to host the prestigious tournament.

For more details check the full article on the BBC website, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24070322
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Belhadj's stunner gives Al Sadd the perfect start

September 13, 2013, 10:36 am
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A long range stunner from Nadir Belhadj gave Al Sadd a 1-0 victory over their bitter-rivals Al Rayyan in the opening game of the 2013-14 Qatar Stars League season.

The defending champions survived a goalless first half, that saw the visitors being denied twice by the goalkeeper Saad Al Shib and once by the post.

South Korea international Cho Yong Hyung went close with a header that hit the post, and Al Shib blocked a long range effort from Rodrigo Tabata before making another superb save to stop Nilmar's attempt.  

Four minutes after the break, Belhadj made space for himself in front of the box before unleashing a powerful left foot effort that gave goalkeeper Omar Barry no chance.

Barry made a superb save near the hour mark to stop Leandro da Silva's close range effort, and Spain Legend Raul Gonzalez missed a clear opportunity to make it 2-0 few minutes later.

Diego Aguirre made a number of changes bringing in Jarallah Al Marri and Abdullah Afifa, but the home side held on to the victory.

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Qatar Stars League - Matchday 1
Friday, September 13th, 2013

Al Sadd (1)
Al Rayyan(0)

Al Sadd: Saad Al Shib; Mohamed Kasula, Taher Zakaria, Lee Jung Soo, Abdul Karim Hassan; Talal Al Bloushi, Nadir Belhadj, Hassan Al Haydos, Khalfan Ibrahim (64' Nasser Nabil); Raul Gonzalez, Leandro Da Silva (83' Yousef Ahmed)


Al Rayyan: Omar Barry; Mohamed Alaa (71' Abdullah Afifa), Moussa Haroun, Cho Yong Hyung,  Abdul Karim Al Ali (76' Abdullah Alawi) Hamed Ismael; Daniel Gomou, Juan Forlin, Ahmed Alaa (63' Jarallah Al Marri); Rodrigo Tabata, Nilmar
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Lekwhiya vs. Guangzhou Evergrande - Taming the tigers

September 18, 2013, 3:01 am
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Lekhwiya will be aiming for a historic achievement today as they host Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande in Doha in the return leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-finals.

In only their second appearance in the competition, the two-time QSL winners will need to overturn a goal deficit after a 2-0 defeat in the first leg in Guangzhou last month.

They will be missing a number of key players due to suspensions and injuries, including goalkeeper Baba Malick; defenders Madjid Bougherra, Dami Traore and Ahmed Yasser; midfielders Hussein Shihab, Issiar Dia and Adil Lami. Central midfielder Karim Boudaif is also a doubt for the game.

Sebastian Soria, Nam Tae Hee and Youssef Msakni are all expected to be in the starting line-up.

The match will be played at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, kick off time is 18.15 (Doha).

Nicknamed the “Southern China Tigers”, Guangzhou Evergrande is China’s new super power in football. They won the league in the past two seasons, and are on their way for a third straight title, as they are currently 14 points clear at top with six games remaining. They also secured their place in next year’s AFC Champions League as they cannot finish below third in the table.

Their coach is Italy’s legend, Marcelo Lippi who led his country to the FIFA World Cup title in 2006.

Guangzhou scored an impressive tally of 60 league goals in 24 games this season. Brazilian striker Elkeson is the main danger man in the team. He is the leading scorer in the league with 21 goals.

Other players to watch in the Chinese team, Brazilian striker Muriqui (the leading scorer in the AFC Champions League this season with eight goals), experienced Argentinan Attacking midfielder Dario Conca (11 league goals and 4 in the AFC CL), in addition to a handful of experienced China national team members that include striker Gao Lin and midfielders Zheng Zhi and Zhao Xuri.
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Olympiakos (1) PSG (4) - Match Report

September 18, 2013, 4:27 am
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Paris Saint-Germain kicked-off their 2013-14 UEFA Champions League campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory over Greek League Champions Olympiakos.  

In front of more than 31 thousand spectators at Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus, the home side made a great start to the game, hitting the bar in the first minute with a powerful long range effort from Vladimir Weiss.

The home fans expected their side to take the lead as they continued to dominate the game with Weiss going close with another low drive from outside the box few minutes later, and Spanish midfielder David Fuster hitting the post with an excellent volley in the 15thminute.

But four minutes later, the Ligue 1 champions took a surprise lead against the run of play thanks to a great run forward by the left back Maxwell and a brilliant through ball from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, that ended with an easy finish from Edinson Cavani.

The lead only lasted for six minutes as Weiss leveled the score with a wonder goal. The 23-year-old Slovakia international received the ball on the right flank and used his brilliant skill to get past two PSG defenders before putting the ball in the back of the net with the help of a slight deflection.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc made a crucial change at the break, with Argentine winger Ezequiel Lavezzi taking the place of Brazilian Lucas Moura.

The Parisians started to take control of the game and threatened the Olympiakos goalkeeper Roberto on more than one occasion, till the 59th minute that saw them retaining the lead through Tiagho Motta’s near post header after a perfect corner from Lavezzi.

Poor defending by the Greeks during set pieces made the difference between the two sides, and the visitors’ lead was doubled five minutes later with another header from Motta and another corner from Lavezzi, in what looked like a replay of the second goal.

Ibrahimovic won a penalty in the 73rd minute, but a brilliant double save from Roberto prevented the Sweden international from getting on the score sheet.

Motta turned the provider in the last goal of the game, as Marquinhos headed in his corner past Roberto, to complete a miserable night for the Greeks and ensure his team finishing the day on top of the group ahead of Benfica on goal difference.

The Portuguese side defeated Belgian Champions Anderlecht 2-0 in the other Group C game in Lisbon, thanks to goals from Filip Duricic and Luisao.

The next round of matches on October 2nd will see PSG hosting Benfica at Parc des Princes, as Olympiakos travel to Belgium to face Anderlecht.            
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UEFA members prefer a winter world cup in 2022

September 19, 2013, 8:44 am
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Jim Boyce, Vice-President of FIFA
    Reuters - European football federations have agreed it would be “impossible” to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in summer as planned and a task force will be set up to find an alternative.

    “Obviously there are certain reservations regarding the World Cup in Qatar but everyone agrees that it would be impossible to play in the severe heat of Qatar in the summer,” FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told Sky television.

    “It is very important that we get this right,” he added, speaking in a phone interview after a meeting of the 54 European football federations in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

    “They all agree that to play the World Cup, to take thousands of fans to the biggest sporting event in the middle of summer would be impossible.”

    FIFA is expected to agree in principle to the switch at its next executive committee meeting in October.

    “It is very important that we get this right,” added Boyce.

    “I think what will happen is that they will probably agree for everyone, including the people in Qatar of course, to sit round a table and come up with a solution.

    “What has happened has happened. It is in Qatar and at the end of the day what has to happen here is that the best interests of football are sorted out and I am confident that will happen. It is purely a one-off.”

    Last week, the association representing European clubs said they would not be opposed to a re-scheduling of the tournament but added they wanted to be consulted about the new timing.

    Clubs, leagues and players’ unions which join national federations in the Professional Football Strategy Council declined Thursday to give UEFA President Michel Platini approval for the change.

    Theo van Seggelen, secretary general of the FIFPro unions, tells The Associated Press the strategy panel’s discussion was “not an agreement” for winter.

    The Netherlands official says “that has to be agreed by FIFA and we want to be involved in the discussion.”

    Qatar has said, despite the searing temperatures, it can stage the World Cup in the summer by building air-conditioned stadiums using newly environmentally-friendly technology. Stadiums would be cooled to around 28 Celsius.

    However, there are still worries about how fans will deal with the heat away from the stadiums.

    In recent interviews, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said that his organization had never specially stated that the World Cup had to be held in summer when it awarded the hosting of the tournament in 2010.

    His comments came after suggestions that the other countries bidding for the tournament could take legal action, or call for a re-vote, if the timing of the tournament was changed.

    On Tuesday, Australia’s soccer chief Frank Lowy warned FIFA not to rush a decision on switching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the northern hemisphere winter and said other bidders should be compensated if the move goes ahead.

    Japan, South Korea and the United States, which itself suffers from scorching summer weather in many parts of the country, lost out in the race to host the event.

    Re-scheduling would force a change of the European domestic calendar and clubs and leagues fear they could lose out financially.

    UEFA president Michel Platini, who has publicly said he voted for Qatar, is among those in favour of a change, suggesting that January-February would be the best time.

    However, this could clash with the Winter Olympics, also to be staged in 2022.

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    QSL - Matchday 2 Fixtures

    September 19, 2013, 10:15 pm
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    September 20th, 2013
    Al Arabi vs. Al Sailiyah
    Grand Hamad Stadium, Al Arabi Club
    18:15 (Doha)
    Muaither vs. Qatar Sport Club 
    Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Al Gharrafa Club
    18:15 (Doha)
    Al Gharrafa vs. Al Khor 
    Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Al Gharrafa Club
    20:30 (Doha)

    Al Sadd vs. Al Ahli 
    Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Al Sadd Club
    20:30 (Doha)
    September 21st, 2013
    Lekhwiya vs. Al Khurtiyath
    Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium
    18:15 (Doha)

    Al Jaish vs. Umm Salal
    Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium
    20:30 (Doha)

    Al Rayyan vs. Al Wakhra
    Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan Club
    20:30 (Doha)
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    QSL - Matchday 2 - Results

    September 20, 2013, 10:23 pm
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    September 20th, 2013

    Muaither(0)
    Qatar Sports Club (3) [Marcinho 11', Jin-Ho 28', Adriano 35']

    Al Arabi(0)
    Al Sailiyah(1) [Baro Sediqi 5']

    Al Sadd (1) [Khalfan Ibrahim 20']
    Al Ahli(0)

    Al Gharrafa (0)
    Al Khor(0)
    ↧
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