DOHA: Qatar on Thursday fought back from a goal down to beat Russia
2-1 in an international friendly played under lights at Jassim Bin
Hamad Stadium.

Boualem Khoukhi (35, penalty) and Karim Boudiaf (724) scored for
Qatar, hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

For Russia – hosts of the 2018 FIFA World Cup – Samedov Alxander had
given the visitors the lead in the 5th-minute penalty.

In the third minute, Qatar defender Mohammed Musa brought down
Russia’s Kombarov Dmitry close to the spot kick and Pavel Balaj, the
Romanian referee, quickly pointed to the penalty spot.

Alxander easily converted the penalty, slotting the ball past Qatar
goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb’s left.

Close to the half-hour mark, the home fans saw Qatar’s Ibrahim Majid –
the captain – miss a penalty kick, hitting the ball wide of the
Russian goalpost.

In the 34th minute, Igor brought down Ahmed Alaa – who was waiting on
a loopy ball from the midfield – just a few feet away from the Russian
goal-line.

Referee Pavel correctly awarded Qatar their second penalty in the
first half and this time Khoukhi easily scored from the spot kick in
the 35th minute.

In the 72nd minute, Tabata curled in a beautifully-taken corner kick
which was deflected in by Boudiaf with a snap-header past substitute
goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk.

Boudiaf, who jumped high in the air, headed from the right side of the
box to the centre of the goal.

In the 83rd minute, Qatar’s Tabata – assisted by fellow striker Hasan
Al Haydos – fired a stinging missile from long range but his shot was
blocked by Kritsyuk with a dive to his left.

Four minutes later, Russia’s Aleksandr Kokorin failed to score off a
penalty kick as Qatar goalkeeper Al Sheeb blocked the shot with a
dive.

Qatar now leave for China for their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying
match on November 15.