Tribune News Network
Doha
Al Ahli missed a crucial opportunity to close the gap on leaders Al Duhail after being held to a 2-2 draw by Al Rayyan in the Ooredoo Stars League at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Saturday.
Oumar Sekou (4th minute) and Erik Exposito (37th minute) scored for The Brigadiers, but Roger Guedes’s brace in the 28th and 65th minutes for Rayyan ensured that both teams took a point from the encounter.
The result leaves Ahli on 15 points, five behind Duhail, who face Al Gharafa on Sunday.
Al Rayyan are eighth with 10 points and will take heart from a spirited performance as they look to climb the table.
Ahli got off to a flying start, exploiting a defensive lapse from the hosts. Sekou intercepted a weak back pass intended for goalkeeper Fahad Younes, before coolly finishing from the center of the box to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Rayyan came close to equalising in the 15th minute when Guedes connected with a header from Gabriel Pereira’s cross, but goalkeeper Marwan Badreldin pulled off a superb save. The Lions eventually found their equaliser in the 28th minute as Guedes drilled a low shot from outside the box, assisted by Abdelaziz Hatem.
However, Ahli reclaimed the lead in the 37th minute with a stunning 25-yard strike from Exposito. Assisted by Matej Mitrovic, his right-footed shot beat Younes despite the goalkeeper’s full-stretch dive.
Early in the second half, Rayyan thought they had a penalty when a foul was initially awarded, but VAR overturned the call, to the frustration of the home side.
The Lions refused to back down and were rewarded in the 65th minute. Guedes tapped home from close range following an inch-perfect pass from Pereira, bringing the score level at 2-2. Minutes later, Hazem Shehata almost completed the comeback for Rayyan, but his shot rattled the woodwork.
In the dying moments of the match, Rayyan squandered a golden chance to snatch victory. Achraf Bencharki found himself unmarked in the box, but his left-footed shot sailed over the bar, ensuring both teams settled for a draw.
Al Shahania two good
Earlier, Al Shahania scored a valuable 2-0 win over Al Shamal at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium.Pelle van Amersfoort (22nd minute–penalty) and substitute Abdulrahman Masoud (83rd minute) got the goals for the winners.
Shamal were reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute after Mohamed Naceur Manai was sent off following a rough tackle against Lotfi Majder. Their second win of the campaign took Shahania to ninth place with eight points, while Shamal are seventh on 10 points.
Shahania held the upper hand right through. They attacked from the word go and in the 17th minute Francesco Antonucci made a telling kick but it was saved by a flying Shamal goalkeeper Babacar Seck.
Soon, Shahania’s Marc Muniesa struck again but Seck averted the shot again. The following action saw a goal-mouth melee and this time Shamal’s Manai landed his kick on the groin of Mohamed Bader Sayyar. A VAR check saw the referee call for the penalty and Amersfoort saw his side take the lead.
Nine minutes later, Shamal won a free-kick not far from the striking zone but they couldn’t gain advantage from it. On the counter, Shahania’s Alhassan Koroma attacked the rival den but his kick saw the ball go wide to the left of the goal.
Shahania resumed in the second session with renewed vigour and in the 46th minute Majder essayed a powerful kick, after he beat two defenders, from just outside the box but it was well saved by Seck.
Shamal tried to push for an equalizer with Baghdad Bounedjah working hard but their efforts were spoiled by good Shahania defence. After Manai was shown the red card, the task became even harder.
Meanwhile, Shahania repeatedly kept making forays and were rewarded with a second goal as Antonucci sent across a long high ball from the right for Abdulrahman to make a perfect header from the left into the right corner.
Umm Salal-Al Khor 0-0
At the Grand Hamad Stadium Umm Salal were held to a goalless draw by bottom-placed Al Khor. A win would have taken Umm Salal to third spot, instead they stay sixth with 11 points, while Al Khor, who are yet to register a win, are on 4 points.
Umm Salal seemed to be the better of the two sides from the get-go, as more of the chances fell to them, while Al Khor were put on the backfoot, being forced to defend for most of the early minutes.
Umm Salal’s Oussama Tannane had the first major opportunity in the 13th minute, but the Moroccan shot wide.
Al Khor came out of the dugout more determined than they were in the first half and they clearly showcased a team who were bent on leaving the stadium with at least a point. Al Khor’s Yohan Boli had his right-footed shot from very close range, following a sublime assist by Ahmed Reyad, saved in the top centre of the goal.
With the time running out and the match seemed stalemated, Umm Salal were reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute, with Kenji Gorre getting the marching orders for violent conduct.
Despite their numerical advantage, Al Khor were unable to capitalise on it as The Orange Fortress ensured that the match ended with the spoils shared, ensuring that Al Khor’s search for their first win of the season continues.