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Ayeni Olusegun
Doha
Yacine Brahimi’s eighth-minute strike ensured Al Rayyan kept their QNB Stars League title hopes alive as the Lions laboured to a 1-0 win over Al Sailiya at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday.
Al Rayyan are now one point behind leaders Al Duhail who face a tough challenge against reigning champions
Al Sadd, on Saturday.
The Lions’ coach Diego Aguirre had earlier said his team’s focus would be on winning every match, and they got the perfect start when Brahimi bagged his 13th goal of the season.
Franck Kom and Ibrahim Masoud exchanged passes swiftly before the latter’s pass found Brahimi in space and the Algerian made no mistake as he coolly rolled the ball past Amine Lecomte.
Abdulaqdir Ilyas wasted an excellent chance to pull
Al Sailiya level with what would have been the easiest of finishes, but the 30-year-old who is having a nightmarish season missed the ball after good work from defender
Serigne Mbodji.
Brahimi continued to pull strings for Al Rayyan and they should have added to their goal tally. Still, Lecomte was on hand to save Sebastian Soria’s volley before holding on to Kom’s rebounded effort.
In a drab second half,
Al Rayyan’s Abdulrahman Al Harazi missed a chance in the 87th minute when Lecomte saved his attempted lob.
Al Sailiya could have stolen a point in added time when substitute Karim Ansarifard’s shot forced Younis into a save from point-blank range as Al Rayyan held on for a crucial win.
Also, on Thursday,
Al Wakrah picked up their first win in five matches as they pipped Al Arabi 2-1.
The game started with the referee in the spotlight after a quick red card was shown to Al Arabi’s Khalaf Saad for the smallest of touches on Jassim al Jalabi. However, Al Arabi went ahead via a controversial penalty when Lucas Mendes was adjudged to have fouled Ahmed Fathy in the box to which Hamdi Harbaoui made no mistake to send the Dream Team ahead, 20 minutes into the match.
Al Wakrah pressed for a goal, but Al Arabi held on heading into halftime. The Waves, though in the second half, made their numerical advantage show and were soon level from the spot. Cristian Ceballos slotted his penalty down the middle past the hapless Abunada after a foul by Martinez on Ali Karami.
Wakrah soon sealed the maximum points 15 minutes from time as Omar Ali’s low header beat Abunada from close range.
On Friday, Al Gharafa will take on 11th-placed Al Khor, who announced late on Thursday that head coach Omar Nadji had stepped down from his position. Also, resurgent
Al Shahania face Qatar SC in a battle for survival.
The big match this weekend, however, will see league leaders Al Duhail clash with rivals and defending champions Al Sadd on Saturday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
A win for Duhail could see them become champions if they beat Al Khor next weekend.
Umm Salal will hope to continue their impressive run against Al Ahli, who have lost three and drawn two of their last five matches.Results
Al Rayyan 1 (Yacine Brahimi 8’) Al Sailiya 0
Al Wakrah 2 (Cristian Ceballos 71’, Omar Ali 75’) Al Arabi 1 (Khalaf Saad 14’)
Doha
Yacine Brahimi’s eighth-minute strike ensured Al Rayyan kept their QNB Stars League title hopes alive as the Lions laboured to a 1-0 win over Al Sailiya at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday.
Al Rayyan are now one point behind leaders Al Duhail who face a tough challenge against reigning champions
Al Sadd, on Saturday.
The Lions’ coach Diego Aguirre had earlier said his team’s focus would be on winning every match, and they got the perfect start when Brahimi bagged his 13th goal of the season.
Franck Kom and Ibrahim Masoud exchanged passes swiftly before the latter’s pass found Brahimi in space and the Algerian made no mistake as he coolly rolled the ball past Amine Lecomte.
Abdulaqdir Ilyas wasted an excellent chance to pull
Al Sailiya level with what would have been the easiest of finishes, but the 30-year-old who is having a nightmarish season missed the ball after good work from defender
Serigne Mbodji.
Brahimi continued to pull strings for Al Rayyan and they should have added to their goal tally. Still, Lecomte was on hand to save Sebastian Soria’s volley before holding on to Kom’s rebounded effort.
In a drab second half,
Al Rayyan’s Abdulrahman Al Harazi missed a chance in the 87th minute when Lecomte saved his attempted lob.
Al Sailiya could have stolen a point in added time when substitute Karim Ansarifard’s shot forced Younis into a save from point-blank range as Al Rayyan held on for a crucial win.
Also, on Thursday,
Al Wakrah picked up their first win in five matches as they pipped Al Arabi 2-1.
The game started with the referee in the spotlight after a quick red card was shown to Al Arabi’s Khalaf Saad for the smallest of touches on Jassim al Jalabi. However, Al Arabi went ahead via a controversial penalty when Lucas Mendes was adjudged to have fouled Ahmed Fathy in the box to which Hamdi Harbaoui made no mistake to send the Dream Team ahead, 20 minutes into the match.
Al Wakrah pressed for a goal, but Al Arabi held on heading into halftime. The Waves, though in the second half, made their numerical advantage show and were soon level from the spot. Cristian Ceballos slotted his penalty down the middle past the hapless Abunada after a foul by Martinez on Ali Karami.
Wakrah soon sealed the maximum points 15 minutes from time as Omar Ali’s low header beat Abunada from close range.
On Friday, Al Gharafa will take on 11th-placed Al Khor, who announced late on Thursday that head coach Omar Nadji had stepped down from his position. Also, resurgent
Al Shahania face Qatar SC in a battle for survival.
The big match this weekend, however, will see league leaders Al Duhail clash with rivals and defending champions Al Sadd on Saturday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
A win for Duhail could see them become champions if they beat Al Khor next weekend.
Umm Salal will hope to continue their impressive run against Al Ahli, who have lost three and drawn two of their last five matches.Results
Al Rayyan 1 (Yacine Brahimi 8’) Al Sailiya 0
Al Wakrah 2 (Cristian Ceballos 71’, Omar Ali 75’) Al Arabi 1 (Khalaf Saad 14’)
