Stars League · Matchday 8 
Our pick1–2Exact score
A single point separates these teams with in-form pride on the line
Two neighbours in the Stars League table meet with just one point between them and every small advantage matters as the season heads into Round 8. Expect a tight, competitive affair in Lai Yang where fine margins will decide who takes the edge.
📍 Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
Preview written:
All Matchday 8 matchesFull head-to-head
Match report
Al Ahli Doha beat Al Shahaniya 2-1, with all three goals coming in the final 33 minutes. Ghanem Al-Minhali put Al Ahli Doha ahead in the 57th minute, assisted by Erik Expósito. Al Shahaniya drew level in the 85th minute through Abdoulaye Traore, with Sven van Beek providing the assist. Two minutes later, Driss Fettouhi restored Al Ahli Doha’s lead, assisted by Benjamin Bourigeaud, and the visitors held on for the win.
The numbers showed Al Ahli Doha had the edge, recording 18 shots to Al Shahaniya’s 10 and seven shots on target to three. Their expected goals were 2.8, compared with 0.61 for Al Shahaniya, while possession was 53% to 47%. Fettouhi was the top-rated player, with a rating of 8.2. The 1-2 result matched the pre-match model’s predicted score; it had given Al Ahli Doha a 46% chance of winning, Al Shahaniya 29%, and a draw 25%.
Goals
- 57'Ghanem Al-Minhali · Erik Expósito · Al Ahli Doha
- 85'Abdoulaye Traore · Sven van Beek · Al Shahaniya
- 87'Driss Fettouhi · Benjamin Bourigeaud · Al Ahli Doha
Cards
- 18'Ghanem Al-Minhali · Al Ahli Doha
- 45+2'Zvonimir Šarlija · Al Shahaniya
- 63'Sven van Beek · Al Shahaniya
- 90+8'Driss Fettouhi · Al Ahli Doha
Match stats
⭐ Top-rated player: D. Fettouhi (Al Ahli Doha) 8.2
Ratings and statistics: API-Football.
Confirmed lineups
Al Shahaniya · 4-2-3-1
- 99Shehab EllethyG
- 77Yousef Hani BallanD
- 22S. van BeekD
- 31Z. ŠarlijaD
- 19Abdulla Al SulaitiD
- 88Moameen MutasemM
- 6Álvaro SanzM
- 21Mohamed SuragM
- 10F. AntonucciM
- 11Jawad El JemiliM
- 9A. TraoréF
Coach: Younes Ali
Al Ahli Doha · 4-1-4-1
- 13Mohamed LinglizG
- 41Ahmed ReyedD
- 16R. TihiD
- 88A. AmraouiD
- 12Ghanem Al MinhaliD
- 33D. FettouhiM
- 6Luiz CearáM
- 27B. BourigeaudM
- 7J. DraxlerM
- 23N. SlitiM
- 10Erik ExpósitoF
Coach: N. Jovović
Match facts
Recent form
Last 5 league games, latest on the right
Goals per game
| · | Scored | Conceded |
|---|---|---|
| Al Shahaniya | 1.1 | 2.7 |
| Al Ahli Doha | 1.7 | 2.0 |
League position
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Al Ahli Doha | 7 | -2 | 8 |
| 8 | Al Shahaniya | 7 | -11 | 7 |
Last meetings
- 2026Al Ahli Doha0-1Al Shahaniya
- 2026Al Ahli Doha1-2Al Shahaniya
- 2025Al Shahaniya1-2Al Ahli Doha
- 2025Al Ahli Doha2-1Al Shahaniya
- 2025Al Shahaniya2-3Al Ahli Doha
PreviaXI model
Model confidence: Open game
- Predicted score
- 1-2
- Expected goals (model)
- 1.40 – 1.83
- Double chance
- 12 · 75%1X 54% · X2 71%
- Over 2.5 goals
- 63%Over 1.5: 84% · Over 3.5: 40%
- Both teams score
- 64%
- Clean sheet
- 16% – 25%Al Shahaniya–Al Ahli Doha
- Half-time result
- X · 38%1 26% · 2 36%
- Half-time / full-time
- 2/2 · 29%1/1 17% · X/2 15%
- Expected corners
- 8.63.4 – 5.2 · Over 9.5: 36%
- Expected cards
- 3.71.8 – 1.9 · Over 3.5: 50%
- Most likely scores
- 1-111%
- 1-29%
- 2-17%
- 0-27%
- 2-27%
Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →
Small difference, big consequences
Al Ahli Doha sit seventh on eight points while Al Shahaniya are directly below them in eighth with seven — a single point separates the pair after seven matches in the Stars League. Both clubs will see this as a chance to leapfrog a close rival and grab momentum in the regular season at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Matchday 8.
Who’s trending how
Form looks close but contrasting: Al Ahli have a slightly better recent record (their season form string LDWLW shows alternating positives) and their last five indicate a higher returning form figure than Al Shahaniya. Al Shahaniya have struggled defensively this season, conceding 19 in seven games and shipping three goals per home match on average; they have won twice at home but lost two as well. Al Ahli have a healthier attack at home (9 goals in four home games) and better defensive returns overall.
Fine H2H margins
Recent meetings have been tight and tilted in Al Ahli’s favour: in the last five head-to-heads Al Ahli won three while Al Shahaniya claimed two, including a 1-0 cup victory in September and a 2-1 league result for Al Shahaniya in February. Those narrow scorelines underline how marginal the advantage is between these sides.
Our prediction
PreviaXI’s model favours the visitors and expects a narrow away win, reflecting Al Ahli’s stronger attacking output and Al Shahaniya’s defensive leaks at home; this looks like a match decided by a single decisive chance rather than a rout. Expect goals from both sides and a late margin for Al Ahli.
Al Shahaniya 1-2 Al Ahli Doha
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