Tribune News Network
Doha
A brace from substitute Yacine Brahimi saw Al Rayyan register a 2-0 win over Al Ahli in Round 4 of the Ooredoo Cup at the Al Arabi Stadium on Tuesday.
This was also Al Rayyan’s first win and they moved on to four points in Group B, while Ahli remained on one point suffering their third defeat.
Rayyan wasted a number of chances before Brahimi converted a penalty in the 85th minute and then produced a deft finish for his second goal of the match a minute later. Rayyan’s Yohan Boli received a long cross from the flank as early as the third minute, but the striker missed an easy tap into the net from close range when he took the shot on the volley.
In the next 10 minutes, two close chances went waste when Ahli’s Hazem Shehata unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box and his shot kissed the crossbar and flew away. Moments later, Rayyan’s Ibrahim Masoud also muffled a shot from close range as Al Ahli goalkeeper quickly moved in to kill the angle of the shot.
Soon after the first water break on the half-hour mark, Boli produced a snap-header from close range, but his deflection was smartly blocked by Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan Naim.
On the hour mark, Abdulrahman Al Harazi was benched and in walked Brahimi. In the 65th minute, Franck Kom produced a neat slip pass to Brahimi, who failed to outduel his marker within striking range of the Ahli goal.
Nine minutes later, Ahli skipper Omid Ebrahimi curled in a spectacular shot from the edge of the box, but Rayyan goalkeeper Saoud Al Hajri was alert to the situation and dived to his left to collect the ball.
Then came Brahimi’s goals. The penalty was awarded when he was brought down by Fahad Ahmed. The Algerian attacking midfielder scored his second goal with a surprise shot.
In another Group B match, Ilyes Hameed struck in the 87th minute as Umm Salal snatched a 2-1 win over
Al Kharaitiyat.
Evans Mensah had opened the scoring for Kharaitiyat in the 61st minute, before Umm Salal equalised through Adnan Mustafa four minutes later. The game looked to be ending in a draw before Hameed’s stunning long-range strike.
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa and Al Arabi were involved in a drab draw.
Sadd, seeking first win, meet Al Khor
On Wednesday, Group will see holders Al Sadd face Al Khor, Al Duhail take on Qatar SC, and Al Sailiya meet Al Wakrah.
Reigning champions Sadd are placed fifth in the group with only one point that they earned from their 4-4 draw with Sailiya in Round 3. The Wolves lost their opener 2-3 against Qatar SC in Round 2, after leading by two goals.
The Al Sadd vs Al Duhail game in Round 1 was postponed owing to both teams’ campaigns in the 2020 AFC Champions League. It has now been scheduled for this Saturday.
Al Khor had started off their campaign in grand style by beating Al Sailiya 5-1, but they suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Al Wakrah in Round 2. However, The Knights bounced back with a 2-0 win over Qatar SC in Round 3 to be placed second in Group A with six points.
Meanwhile, Sailiya are fourth in the group with four points. Although The Peregrines have the same number of points as Qatar SC, the latter are placed above on goal difference.
Wakrah have two victories to their credit. They beat Al Khor 2-1 in Round 2 and Al Duhail 3-1 in Round 3, having opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar SC.
Reigning QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail are lying last in the group. They have yet to open their account, having lost 1-3 to Al Sailiya in their opener in Round 2 and then to Al Wakrah by the same scoreline in Round 3.
The Red Knights will definitely look for a win when they take on Qatar SC, who are third in the group with four points.
Results: Al Rayyan 2 (Yacine Brahimi 85’, 86’) bt Al Ahli 0; Umm Salal 2 (Adnan Mustafa 64’, Ilyes Brimil 87’) bt Al Kharaitiyat 1 (Evans Mensah 61’) ; Al Arabi 0 vs Al Gharafa 0.
Doha
A brace from substitute Yacine Brahimi saw Al Rayyan register a 2-0 win over Al Ahli in Round 4 of the Ooredoo Cup at the Al Arabi Stadium on Tuesday.
This was also Al Rayyan’s first win and they moved on to four points in Group B, while Ahli remained on one point suffering their third defeat.
Rayyan wasted a number of chances before Brahimi converted a penalty in the 85th minute and then produced a deft finish for his second goal of the match a minute later. Rayyan’s Yohan Boli received a long cross from the flank as early as the third minute, but the striker missed an easy tap into the net from close range when he took the shot on the volley.
In the next 10 minutes, two close chances went waste when Ahli’s Hazem Shehata unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box and his shot kissed the crossbar and flew away. Moments later, Rayyan’s Ibrahim Masoud also muffled a shot from close range as Al Ahli goalkeeper quickly moved in to kill the angle of the shot.
Soon after the first water break on the half-hour mark, Boli produced a snap-header from close range, but his deflection was smartly blocked by Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan Naim.
On the hour mark, Abdulrahman Al Harazi was benched and in walked Brahimi. In the 65th minute, Franck Kom produced a neat slip pass to Brahimi, who failed to outduel his marker within striking range of the Ahli goal.
Nine minutes later, Ahli skipper Omid Ebrahimi curled in a spectacular shot from the edge of the box, but Rayyan goalkeeper Saoud Al Hajri was alert to the situation and dived to his left to collect the ball.
Then came Brahimi’s goals. The penalty was awarded when he was brought down by Fahad Ahmed. The Algerian attacking midfielder scored his second goal with a surprise shot.
In another Group B match, Ilyes Hameed struck in the 87th minute as Umm Salal snatched a 2-1 win over
Al Kharaitiyat.
Evans Mensah had opened the scoring for Kharaitiyat in the 61st minute, before Umm Salal equalised through Adnan Mustafa four minutes later. The game looked to be ending in a draw before Hameed’s stunning long-range strike.
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa and Al Arabi were involved in a drab draw.
Sadd, seeking first win, meet Al Khor
On Wednesday, Group will see holders Al Sadd face Al Khor, Al Duhail take on Qatar SC, and Al Sailiya meet Al Wakrah.
Reigning champions Sadd are placed fifth in the group with only one point that they earned from their 4-4 draw with Sailiya in Round 3. The Wolves lost their opener 2-3 against Qatar SC in Round 2, after leading by two goals.
The Al Sadd vs Al Duhail game in Round 1 was postponed owing to both teams’ campaigns in the 2020 AFC Champions League. It has now been scheduled for this Saturday.
Al Khor had started off their campaign in grand style by beating Al Sailiya 5-1, but they suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Al Wakrah in Round 2. However, The Knights bounced back with a 2-0 win over Qatar SC in Round 3 to be placed second in Group A with six points.
Meanwhile, Sailiya are fourth in the group with four points. Although The Peregrines have the same number of points as Qatar SC, the latter are placed above on goal difference.
Wakrah have two victories to their credit. They beat Al Khor 2-1 in Round 2 and Al Duhail 3-1 in Round 3, having opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar SC.
Reigning QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail are lying last in the group. They have yet to open their account, having lost 1-3 to Al Sailiya in their opener in Round 2 and then to Al Wakrah by the same scoreline in Round 3.
The Red Knights will definitely look for a win when they take on Qatar SC, who are third in the group with four points.
Results: Al Rayyan 2 (Yacine Brahimi 85’, 86’) bt Al Ahli 0; Umm Salal 2 (Adnan Mustafa 64’, Ilyes Brimil 87’) bt Al Kharaitiyat 1 (Evans Mensah 61’) ; Al Arabi 0 vs Al Gharafa 0.