DOHA: Seasoned striker Meshaal Abdullah netted a brace as Qatar defeated Lebanon 5-0 in an international friendly at the Lekhwiya Stadium on Thursday. The Ahli forward opened the account in the 30th minute to give the hosts a one-goal cushion at half-time. He found the target a second time in 59th and Ahmed Maksoud added another a minute later, as Qatar virtually killed the game by the hour mark. Lekhwiya midfielder Hussein Ali Shihab made the most of a defensive blunder to slot home in the 75th while defender Abdulrahman Akbar completed the rout by heading home a corner in the 84th. Qatar could have won by an even bigger margin had they capitalised on all their chances they created in the second half. The match was a part of Qatar’s preparations for the Gulf Cup (in Riyadh) and Asian Cup (in Australia), to be held in November and January, respectively. Qatar will also host Australia in a friendly on October 14.