Al Arabi endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history after suffering an 8-1 thrashing at the hands of Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League, with Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga missing due to injury.
Olunga, who limped off in his team’s 3-2 defeat to Al Shamal last weekend, failed a late fitness test and was forced to watch from the sidelines as his former club dismantled his current side in ruthless fashion at Al Thumama Stadium. The Kenyan striker’s absence was felt immediately, with Polish forward Krzysztof Piatek, his replacement at Al Duhail, opening the scoring in the third minute with a powerful header.
Al Arabi briefly fought back when Pablo Sarabia equalised in the 23rd minute, finishing on his second attempt after his initial shot was blocked. However, the joy was short-lived as a defensive mishap from Al Hashmi Al Hussain resulted in an own goal just three minutes later, restoring Al Duhail’s lead. Al Brake then struck from distance in the 34th minute to make it 3-1 before halftime.
The second half turned into a nightmare for the home side as Al Duhail showed no mercy. Luis Alberto netted twice, displaying composure in front of goal, while Algerian forward Adil Boulbina also bagged a brace—first with a clever flick over the goalkeeper and then from the penalty spot. Piatek had a chance to grab his second of the night but missed from 12 yards, sparing Al Arabi further humiliation.
There was no respite, however, as French midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud slotted home a late penalty in the 78th minute to complete the rout. The result left Al Arabi stunned and reeling from one of the worst home defeats in their history.
The heavy loss sees Al Arabi languishing in ninth place on the 12-team table with just four points after five games, having won once, drawn once, and lost three. Al Duhail, meanwhile, climbed to fifth with seven points, their emphatic victory serving as a timely boost after an underwhelming start to the season.
For Olunga, the evening was doubly painful. Not only did he miss out due to injury, but he also watched helplessly as his old club crushed his new team, underlining how much Al Arabi depend on his presence in attack.
