Krzysztof Piątek scores and assists as Al-Duhail beat Al-Shamal 4:0 in Qatar
Piątek returned to the Al-Duhail starting line-up after 156 days, scoring in the 14th minute and setting up Almoez Ali in a 4:0 win over Al-Shamal. The result moved the club into third place in the Qatar Super League.
Back in the starting line-up
Krzysztof Piątek started for Al-Duhail in Thursday's Qatar Super League match against Al-Shamal, after coach Djamel Belmadi named him in the first XI. Polsat Sport counts the match as his first in 156 days, while Przegląd Sportowy puts the wait at more than 150 days. According to Polsat Sport, his last appearance came in the May semi-final of the domestic cup against Al Sadd, a 1:4 defeat. Przegląd Sportowy reports that during the summer transfer window he was dropped from the squad and placed on the transfer list, and that no club signed him, so he returned to the matchday squad. Sportowe Fakty adds that he had also dealt with health problems before this period.
Goals and assist
Piątek opened the scoring in the 14th minute, according to TVN24, Przegląd Sportowy and Polsat Sport, while Sportowe Fakty gives the 15th minute. Interia and Sportowe Fakty both describe a cross from Tahsin Jamshid that goalkeeper Babacar Seck failed to deal with cleanly, leaving the ball at Piątek's feet. Sportowe Fakty says he struck the ball from the air, and Przegląd Sportowy describes the finish as a volley. Interia says the ball went into an empty net. Sekou Yansane doubled the lead in the 67th minute, and Almoez Ali made it 3:0 in the 73rd minute, with Piątek providing the assist. Mubarak Shanan completed the 4:0 win in the 90th minute. Polsat Sport notes that Piątek played the full 90 minutes.
- Piątek gives Al-Duhail the lead
- Sekou Yansane makes it 2:0
- Almoez Ali makes it 3:0, with an assist from Piątek
- Mubarak Shanan makes it 4:0
Table and national team
Al-Duhail moved up to third place in the Qatar Super League with nine points from five matches, according to TVN24 and Polsat Sport. Al Sadd lead the table with 12 points and Al-Rayyan are second on 10. Polsat Sport notes that Al Sadd have played one match fewer, leaving Al-Duhail three points behind the leaders.
- Al Sadd
- 12 points
- Al-Rayyan
- 10 points
- Al Duhail
- 9 points
Piątek was left out of the Al-Duhail squad at the start of the season, and Poland coach Jan Urban did not call him up for the September and October training camp, where Poland played four Nations League matches. TVN24 reports that he has scored 12 goals in 39 appearances for Poland. His last cap came on 31 March, in a 2:3 defeat to Sweden in a match that decided Poland's World Cup qualification. Sportowe Fakty notes that Thursday's goal was his first since 1 May, and that he celebrated it with his classic gesture of firing pretend pistols from his knees.
What comes next
Interia writes that if Piątek keeps this form, he would send a clear signal to Jan Urban ahead of the November national team camp. According to Interia, Poland's next Nations League matches are against Romania and Sweden. Przegląd Sportowy says the performance came after serious doubts about his future and could matter for the rest of the season. Piątek's next club fixture is not mentioned in the reports.
