Al-Sailiya under mounting pressure as Qatar SC visit Doha

Qatar SC travel to Doha on Saturday with two points from five games, but the sharper pressure sits with the home side. Al-Sailiya are rooted to the bottom of the 12-team Stars League without a single point, and another defeat at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium would deepen a crisis that is already hard to ignore.

Bottom of the table, nowhere to hide

Al-Sailiya sit 12th with a goal difference of -13 after five rounds. Qatar SC are 11th, one place above them, on two points and a goal difference of -8. Neither side has found a rhythm, but only one of them is still waiting for its first point.

Defeats piling up at both ends

Al-Sailiya have lost all five league matches this season, scoring five times and conceding 18. They have shipped a goal in every game, and their goals have come in short bursts, including two between the 46th and 60th minutes and two late on between the 76th and 90th. At home they have scored three times in two matches and lost both.

Qatar SC’s return is hardly convincing either: two draws, three defeats, four goals scored and 12 conceded. Their one clean sheet came on the road, which gives them a sturdier base to build on than their hosts.

Head-to-head: the visitors hold the upper hand

Qatar SC have had the better of recent meetings, winning three of the last five and drawing one. Al-Sailiya’s only success in that run was a 2-1 home win in January, the most recent meeting between the sides.

Our prediction

Al-Sailiya 1-2 Qatar SC. The hosts have found the net in every game this season and could pose problems on the counter, but their defence has been breached in every match. Qatar SC’s recent edge over this opponent and their steadier record away from home should be enough to take all three points, though Al-Sailiya’s desperation may keep the contest tighter than the table suggests.