(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Lekhwiya forward Ismaeel Mohammad remains confident the Red Knights can challenge for the title – despite Al Rayyan’s nine-point lead at the top of the QSL. Mohammad spoke to www.qsl.com.qa ahead of the Round 14 match against Al Gharafa on Tuesday 22 December at Al Ahli Sport Club kick-off 18:45.
What’s your assessment of Al Gharafa going into this week’s game?
I’m expecting a tough match. Although Al Gharafa are in mid-table they have some good players and can cause problems for any team.
Do you think Lekhwiya have the upper hand over Al Gharafa following recent results?
We are pleased with our winning run. The last five games have given us a lot of confidence but we need to keep our concentration and not lose focus in order to keep the run going.
Are Lekhwiya confident of continuing their winning run?
We know we are capable of beating any team in the league. We have shown a lot of character to come back from a difficult start to the season and we believe we can win silverware again. Our aim is to keep this good run going for as long as possible.
What caused Lekhwiya’s decline at the start of the season?
There were many reasons including missing a lot of key players. We were also a little unlucky in some games.
What are your ambitions for this season? Are you capable of winning the QSL title?
Our ambition is to win the title for the third consecutive season. We are also looking forward to competing for the Qatar Cup and Emir Cup. We also want to go as far as possible in the Champions League. Our dream is to win the Champions League title.
What do you think when people say Al Rayyan have already won the QSL title?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. For me the league is still open and there is a long way to go. We are not even halfway through the season yet and we’ll be doing everything we can to retain our title.
Source: Qatar Stars League