<div><img style="" class="img-responsive" src="https://www.qsl.qa/sites/default/files/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AF%20%D9%8…; alt="Alt" title="" /></div>
<p>Al Sadd maintained their four-point lead at the top of QNB Stars League standings by defeating Qatar SC 8-1 in a Week 18 action at the Al Sadd Stadium on Thursday.</p><p>Hat-tricks by strikers Akram Afif and Baghdad Bounedjah propelled Al Sadd to an easy victory.</p><p>Abdulkarim Hassan (23rd minute), Bounedjah (30th-min penalty, 84th and 90+2 minutes), Akram (35th, 58th and 71st minutes) and Hassan Al Haydous (45+3 penalty) scored Al Sadd’s goals as The Wolves took their points tally to 47, four more than reigning champions Al Duhail who defeated Al Ahli 6-0 in the day’s early kick-off.</p><p>Bahaa Abdulrahman pulled one back for Qatar SC in the 52nd minute.</p><p>It was yet another big-margin victory for Al Sadd this season, their 15th which is the most by any team, while Qatar SC suffered their 10th defeat.</p><p>The lethal duo of tournament top scorer Bounedjah and Akram, as always, wreaked havoc among the Qatar SC ranks.</p><p>Asia’s best player and left-back Abdulkarim started it all by sending in a long-range stunner past the outstretched hand of Qatar SC goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail, who found the proceedings hard against the marauding Al Sadd players.</p><p>Bounedjah doubled the lead by converting a penalty awarded by referee Mohammed Al Shammari after the Algerian striker was brought down inside the box by Omar Al Emadi.</p><p>Akram opened his scoring with a brilliant scissor cut past the goalkeeper and three defenders stationed at the goalline.</p><p>Qatar national team captain Al Haydous made it 4-0 at the stroke of half-time whistle by sending in a penalty, which was awarded after Akram was tripped by the goalkeeper.</p><p>After Bahaa reduced the margin, Akram and Bounedjah found the mark twice more in the second half to make the final score read 8-1 as Qatar SC remained on 16 points.</p>