Three goals in 14 minutes secured a massive three points for the Al Kharaitiyat , who remain 12th in the Qatar Stars Leage (QSL) table and a point clear of Qatar Sports Club.
With the Kings beating Al Gharafa 3-1, Kharaitiyat could ill-afford anything but victory at Al Khor Stadium. And they got it thanks to a devastating second-half spell that included a brace from Jordanian midfielder Hassan Abdel Fattah and one from substitute Abdurabb Al Yazeedi.
The victory is only the second Kharaitiyat have managed in 2016 but it sets them up for a final-day survival push against Umm Salal. So long as Kharaitiyat equal QSC’s result, they will remain in the QSL for another year.
Wakrah, on the other hand, could still have a say in the relegation battle. Mauricio Larriera’s men face QSC next week – and Kharaitiyat will be desperate for the Blue Waves to do them a favour against the Kings.
After a low-quality first half, the game turned after Ruben Amorim was sent off for Wakrah. Just 14 minutes later, Kharaitiyat captilalised on their numerical advantage by taking the lead through Fattah. The veteran midfielder latched on to a through-ball from Issiar Dia and poked the ball home from eight yards out.
Just seven minutes later and Fattah grabbed his second thanks to a stunning solo effort. He collected the ball on the right flank, showed exceptional skill in the penalty area and planted a magnificent left-footed strike into the top corner.
Al Yazeedi rounded off the victory in the 78th minute with a lovely curling shot into the top corner from 15 yards.
For once Kharaitiyat weren’t reliant on top scorer Yahia Kebe – a man who has grabbed 16 goals this season. However, the Thunders will need the Burkina Faso striker fit and firing for next week’s game against the Orange Fortress. A win will confirm survival – though a draw, or even a defeat, could be enough to keep Kharaitiyat up depending on QSC’s result against Wakrah.