Al Ahli take on Al Arabi in one of the standout fixtures of round 17 of the QSL season. The Brigadiers come into the derby on the up following a moral boosting win over struggling Al Wakrah last time out. Ahli will now be aiming to register back to back wins for the first time this season over their local rivals. Qatari coach Yusef Adam spoke with the media ahead of the Saturday evening match.

Adam opened up the press conference noting that his side are fully prepared for the game.“All of my players will be ready for the derby match. The win was important, but we have forgot about it now. Our next aim is to get all three points against Al Arabi and continue our good start.”

Ahli defeated Arabi 2-1 in the first game of the season, but the Qatari coach insisted that the game will be a different proposition this time around.“The match is different from the first round, many players from both sides have changed. Al Arabi has had a mixed season so far, some good some bad. All I know is that a win for us will kick-start our season, and give our players plenty of confidence heading into the next run of games.”

The Qatari coach ended his press conference with an update on Al Ahli’s two latest signings. “Cristian Maidana has looked good in training and against Al Wakrah. He has been lacking match sharpness, but this will definitely improve in the coming weeks as he gets used to football in the QSL, as for Ahmed Maqsoud he will not be available for this game, he should be ready for the week after.”



Al Arabi also head into the derby in good spirits following a 2-1 win over Al Kharaitiyat. The Dream Team will be targeting their second win of 2017 when they face local rivals Al Ahli. Arabi’s Brazilian coach Edison Agguire spoke to the media ahead of the game. Agguire opened up the press conference stressing the challenge ahead for his side.“The match against Al Ahli will be a big challenge. We are looking to continue our development we have shown in recent weeks. We have been playing good football in recent weeks, and I hope we can realise our objectives with a win over our local rivals.”

The Brazilian coach was also quick to talk up the team spirit in the side, after several weeks of behind the scenes strife. “Everybody knows our situation, our players have shown a real commitment in recent weeks. We just need to get good result to improve our ranking. Al Ahli are a big club in Qatar, who have played good football this season. I am looking forward to a good game.”

​Agguire ended his press conference in a defiant tone, noting that a run of wins could drastically change the outlook of the season for the Dream Team. “Al Arabi are currently mid table, but we all know that a run of two or three wins can push us right up the table. The next game will be a challenge, but I have faith that the players will continue to show their commitment and put together a winning run to push up the table.”