Al-Duhail failed to regain the top spot in the Qatari Football League after it fell to Al-Gharafa 2-0 on Friday in the nineteenth stage, which saw Al-Rayyan succumb to a disappointing draw with Al-Sailiya 2-2.

Al-Gharafa raised its score to 32 points, restoring fourth place and providing a great service to Al-Arabi, who alone led the standings table, a point behind the previous leader, Al-Duhail, whose score was frozen at 42 points.

Al-Duhail, led by Argentine coach Hernan Crespo, ignited the summit struggle, despite the preference for the postponed match against Al-Rayyan, scheduled for Tuesday, in which victory has become decisive in order to continue the search for the title, which it gave up in the past two editions in favor of rivals Al-Sadd.

Al-Gharafa, led by Portuguese coach Pedro Martins, presented the best performance in the current season, after he presented a high level and was a strong match for his opponent, waiting until the second half to score the first goal through Algerian Isaac Belfadil's shot, which goalkeeper Salah Zakaria was unable to deal with to enter the net (62).

Despite the great pressure exerted by Al-Duhail in search of a return, Al-Gharafa held out defensively without giving up counter-attacks, one of which resulted in a second goal through Moayad Hassan Fadli's shot that hit the goalkeeper and settled in the goal (90 + 6), securing the victory of his team and deepening the wounds of Al-Duhail, who was It was eliminated a few days before the quarter-finals of the Prince's Cup by falling to Al-Sailiya on penalties 5-4 after a 2-2 draw in normal time.

In a second match, Al-Rayyan lost the double priority against Al-Sailiya to lead to a disappointing 2-2 draw, raising its score to 17 points, advancing to ninth place temporarily, on goal difference from Al-Shamal, while Al-Sailiya raised its score to the tenth point and remained in last place.

Al-Rayyan started the match perfectly, scoring the first goal through Ivory Coast's Johan Boley, who received a cross from Moroccan Sofiane Boufal (5), before Abdel Aziz Hatem consolidated the lead with a second goal after a powerful shot from inside the area that hit the net (25).

Al-Sailiya rose up in stoppage time in the first half, with Senegalese Mohamed Diami reducing the difference, taking advantage of a rebound from the defense, which he fired powerfully into the goal (45 + 1), before the Swedish Carlos Strandberg scored the equalizing goal from a penalty kick that he earned himself and executed successfully (45 + 5).