Champs Rayyan hammer four past Sailiya

Al Rayyan brushed aside Al Sailiya by an impressive 4-0 scoreline last evening. Rayyan captain Rodrigo Tabata grabbed a brace to ensure it was a comfortable evening’s work for the reigning QSL champions, who looked far superior than opponents Al Sailiya.
It didn’t take long for the current QSL champions to take an early lead in the eighth minute. A deep cross into the box was flicked by Sebastian Soria into the path of Sergio Garcia, who curled the ball past Gregory Gomis for his sixth goal of the season.
Sami Trabelsi’s side could have levelled the tie had in-form attacker Mohamed Muddather’s surging run and shot not hit the post. The young attacker was also set to have a say in the second goal of the match moments later.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Al Rayyan doubled their advantage thanks to a free-kick from Tabata, which took a heavy deflection off Muddather’s head before finding its way to the back of the net.
As the first half came to an end it was Al Sailiya who looked most likely to score. Cameroonian striker Paul Efoulou saw his shot from distance well saved by Omar Barry in the Al Rayyan goal. Whilst moments later, Romanian Dragos Grigore stung the hands of the Qatar international keeper with a powerful shot.
Al Rayyan began to dominate after the break and seconds after the restart, Rayyan hit the woodwork with Garcia smacking a close range shot. Al Sailiya were far from out of the tie, and came to close to pulling a goal back when midfielder Sayaf al-Korbi worked a shot from a tight angle which went just wide.
Gomis kept Sailiya in the tie with two fine saves to deny Soria and Garcia. However, it all proved to be in vein, as Soria won a penalty on the hour mark, after being scythed down in the penalty box. Tabata stepped up and swept the ball into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.
Nine minutes later, Al Rayyan put the tie beyond doubt with a well taken goal from Abdulmajeed Enad. The young defender perfectly controlled the incoming cross before tapping the ball over Gomis for an easy finish. The win means that Michael Laudrup’s side consolidates fourth place in the QSL standings.
In another match, Al Khor and El Jaish played out a goalless draw in Round 16, a result that will be disappointing for the latter as the title slips further away from their reach while the home team will be encouraged with a positive result against one of the league’s strongest teams.