Ahli look to make amends against Sadd

By Sports Reporter/Doha

After losing the last match 5-4 to Al Gharafa, Al Ahli coach Milan Macala has warned the defending champions they are ready to take their frustrations out on the Qatar Stars League champions in their match today.

The Czech coach is still baffled how his side managed to lose the match against Zico’s men despite leading 3-1.

He said: “We’re full of confidence, despite our defeat last week. The players are in high spirits and I think we have every right to be despite the fact we suffered our first defeat for a while.

“Already the second leg is shaping up to be very interesting. I think this competitiveness will continue for the rest of the season. We wasted our last match against Gharafa and we can’t do that again.

“When you are ahead by three goals it is difficult to understand why you would lose a match but I don’t think it will negatively affect our team. I think it will be the opposite and we will want to make amends against Al Sadd.”

Al Sadd coach Hussein Amotta said: “Al Ahli are obviously a very strong team with a good spirit but we have to be strong and try not to throw away more points.

“Our only thought is to get the victory, although we will have to do this without Talal Abdul Karim , Raul and Ali Asad. We don’t have many choices this week because of injury. There is nothing we can do apart from get on with the game and do our best. We don’t want to waste any more opportunities so we see winning this game as vital.”

Gharafa will be under pressure to win as they chase a place in the top four, thinks Al Khor coach Laszlo Boloni ahead of their today’s clash.

“We lost very heavily the first time we played Al Gharafa this season and that’s something we will be looking to change,” he said. “I don’t think there is any pressure on the team, not really. We watched Gharafa coming from behind to beat Al Ahli 5-4 so this is a team that is considered strong.

“If there is any pressure it is designed to push our players to their maximum and give everything they possibly can.”

Zico was hopeful that his team would build on the Ahli win and tighten their grip on the league.

He said: “We’re ready for this match, especially after a great result last week. The team is ready for this confrontation and I know the players are confident and can’t wait to get back out on that pitch.”

In the other match of the day, Al Wakrah would like to halt their winless streak of 10 matches when they meet Al Rayyan today. Rayyan are currently one spot below Wakrah at 12th and coach Manolo Jimenez admitted he is scouring his network of contacts to bring in some flair players that will ignite the club’s disappointing campaign.