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<p>Karim Boudiaf scored the all-important goal in the 29th minute as leaders Al Duhail defeated hosts Al Arabi in their QNB Stars League Week 13 match on Friday.</p><p>In the process, Al Duhail maintained their unbeaten run and took their points to 35.</p><p>Play was mostly restricted to the Al Arabi area from the start and a goal was coming any time, with captain Youssef Msakni, spearhead Youssef El Arabi and playmaker Nam Tae-Hee raiding the rival citadel.</p><p>It looked like Al Duhail opened their account in the 16th when Nam headed the ball in, but the goal was ruled offside.</p><p>Despite a defensive approach by Al Arabi, The Red Knights did take the lead around the half-hour mark when Boudiaf headed in a Murad Naji corner from the right, leaving goalkeeper Masoud Zarayi and defenders rooted, for what seemed to be a silly goal.</p><p>Attacking midfielder Khalfan Ibrahim was like a one-man army in the Al Arabi attack. His two free-kicks, earned when he himself was fouled on both occasions, were off the mark and a shot that went wide were all that they had to show for their efforts in the first half.</p><p>The second half was off to a slow pace, yet Al Duhail dominated possession. </p><p>On a day when El Arabi, the QNB Stars League’s leading scorer with 19 goals, was off-colour, Tunisian attacking midfielder Msakni tested the Al Arabi defence time and again, but to no avail.</p><p>Midfielder Ahmed Fathi, who had scored Al Arabi’s equaliser in their creditable 1-1 draw against Al Sailiya in the previous week, played the striker’s role.</p><p>However, diminutive Abdullah Hassan caught the eye among the Al Arabi ranks by his timely clearances and interventions as he provided a shield in front of his defenders and against the charging rival attackers.</p><p>The scoreline might have swelled had it not been for Abdullah’s alacrity. The Dream Team made a spate of substitutions towards the end in their bid to make a breakthrough.</p><p>They missed Syrian striker Mardik Mardikian who sat out due to an injury and Khalfan struggled without a team-mate who could do the finishing.</p><p>Al Duhail almost conceded an own goal when defender Lucas Mendes’ faulty clearance with his head hit the crossbar.</p><p>Al Arabi got a last chance to score at the stroke of final whistle, but Diego Jardel sent his free-kick over the horizontal.</p>