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<p>Abel Mathias netted the winner as Al Ahli beat Al Sailiya 1-0 in Week 13 of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League at the Al Ahli Stadium on Thursday.</p><p>The all-important goal was scored in the 27th minute as Al Ahli moved to 16 points and Al Sailiya remained on 17 points.</p><p>It was Al Ahli’s first win, and fifth overall, after they replaced Spanish coach Ruben de la Barrera with Montenegrin Nebojsa Jovovic.</p><p>The slump of Al Sailiya, who had recently lost 0-2 to Al Duhail in the 2020 Qatar Cup semifinal, saw them suffer their sixth defeat.</p><p>Al Ahli attacked more in the first half and their efforts bore fruit when Abel, who hit wide earlier, connected home a cross from the right flank by Hernan, who was The Brigadiers’ livewire.</p><p>Al Ahli’s Abdelrahman Mohammed sent his angular shot against the right upright in the 36th minute, with Hernan providing the pass from the right again.</p><p>At the other end, Al Sailiya’s Nadir Belhadj had to see his on-the-run shot go over the bar early in the game.</p><p>Later, Al Ahli goalkeeper Ivanildo Rodrigues came up with a diving save after Adel Bader hit the target from an acute angle.</p><p>On to the second half, Al Sailiya, displaying an improved performance, tried hard for an equaliser that never came. Sorely missing injured striker Abdulqadir Ilyas, The Peregrines came closest to scoring a goal in the 66th minute. But Karim Ansari, who could not do much in the game, and Mohammed Faisal both failed to connect a cross.</p><p>Referee Ali Abdulrahman Al Marri awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute after Al Sailiya’s Mostafa Mohammed handled Abel’s shot, with the former also earning a red card. However, both were ruled out through VAR.</p>