DOHA: Early-season momentum often proves crucial in a long-drawn tournament, and Lekhwiya, it appears, are determined to keep their going. The defending champions scored their second successive victory in the Qatar Stars League, thrashing Al Khor 3-0 in a one-side match to show home they mean business under new coach Michael Laudrup.

At the Al Khor Stadium, Lekhwiya were served well by Sebastian Soria and Ismael Mohamed who struck once each in the second half after South Korean pro Nam Tae-Hee had scored a sensational 43rd minute goal to put them ahead.

It was quite obvious from the very outset that Lekhwiya packed too many guns for Al Khor who had lost their opening match against Al Arabi last week, but a bit of complacency prevented them from taking an early lead. However, their early lethargy was well and truly compensated for by Nam who hoodwinked three Al Khor defenders inside the penalty area following a dazzling solo run from the centre to score past goalkeeper Baba Jibril in the 43rd minute.

One expected Al Khor to come back with renewed vigour after the break but it was Lekhwiya who did so and consolidated through Ismael Mohamed who squeezed the ball in from a tight angle after receiving a measured pass from Soria in the 58th minute.

The Uruguay-born Soria then struck from the spot in the 62nd minute after Chico Flores was brought down to complete the Al Khor rout.

Earlier, last season’s runners-up El Jaish fell to a shock 2-1 defeat against Umm Salal who had managed only seventh place last season.

El Jaish controlled play early in the game and went ahead through Yasser Abou Baker who profited from a perfect pass from Majed Mohamed and shot home in the 12th minute.

In the 30th minute midfielder Mohamed Mathnani’s freekick went just inches above a leaping Lucas Mendes.

But five minutes later, Salal made their presence felt on the pitch for the first time. Their new French signing Jérémie Aliadière, showed excellent ball skills as he trapped a lob high in the air, swivelled and then shot towards the Jaish. It took a full stretch from Jaish keeper Ahmed Sufyan to save that one.

Salal continued to build up the momentum and were rewarded in the 38th minute. Murad Naji send in an inviting ball into the path of Aliadière who tapped it in for the equaliser.

The home side were buoyant after this goal and were mounting attack after attack. Such was the pace that Jaish’s Majed had to resort to an ugly tackle on Aliadière when the French player set off on a counter attack. Majed went into a sliding tackle with his studs showing. He escaped with just a yellow card for that.

The game was being played largely in the Salal half but they weren’t able to get a breakthrough. In the 70th minute, coach Nabeel Maaloul brought on their main striker Wagner Ribeiro. In the78th minute, Jaish made two more substitutions with Usman Mohamed and Abdulqadir Ilyas both coming on. The visiting side were desperate for that winning goal and were going all out for it.

And in going all out for it they paid a heavy penalty. Aliadière was involved again but this time he was the provider as he ran down the right flank and passed to Mohamed Abu Bakr who calmly tapped it into an open goal to give his team the lead.

Jaish could have conceded another one but Aliadière mis-hit his shot right in front of the goal.

Jaish got six minutes of added time to find the equaliser and though they tried everything they could, the Salal defence didn’t crumble and were able to hold onto their lead.