Al Rayyan striker Sebastian Soria (C) and skipper Rodrigo Tabata celebrate with Mohamed Alalawi (R) after the latter scored the third goal of the match. PICTURE: Anas Khalid
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Al Rayyan defeated Al Ahli 3-1 to get back to winning ways at the Thani bin Jassim Stadium yesterday. The Lions had suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost to Al Sadd in the previous round. But if Ahli thought that that defeat would have any impact on the Rayyan players, then they were mistaken.
Rayyan got the early goal through their skipper Rodrigo Tabata and didn’t look back from there. In the 22nd minute, Myongin Koh lobbed a clever ball into the box and Tabata was able beat the offside trap and get to the end of it. The Brazilian then slotted it past the Ahli keeper Amer Dosari to give his team the lead.
The second goal came right at the end of the first half and it was a text book one at that. Mohammed Alalawi crossed from the left flank and Sebastian Soria calmly headed it in. Rayyan went into the beak with a comfortable two-goal cushion.
In the second half, Rayyan took just about the same time as in the first half to score a goal. 24 minutes into the second half, Soria ran down the right flank and delivered a long cross.
Soria was the provider this time and he delivered a long cross from the right flank and Alalawi was able to run behind the Ahli defence and score his team’s third goal.
Ahli were able to get a consolation goal through skipper Meshal Abdullah in the 72nd minute. This loss means that Ahli have now gone for six matches without a win. They have lost three and endured three stalemates. For a team that finished fifth in the table last season, they are currently languishing in ninth place. Coach Zlatko Kranjcar will need his boys to step up if they are to at least match their last season’s performance.
Lekhwiya get easy win
Lekhwiya registered their fifth consecutive victory yesterday when they defeated Mesaimeer 2-0 at the Grand Hamad Stadium. Goals from Vladimir Weiss and Youssef Msakni in the first half ensured a comfortable win over Mesaimeer.
The Red Knights had come into this match on the back of a dominant 4-0 thrashing of Al Ahli and Mesaimeer were not expected to post a big challenge. And the bottom placed team didn’t. During the pre-match press conference, Mesaimeer Head Coach Rodion Gacanin had outlined his team’s strategy – to prevent Lekhwiya from scoring as far as possible and try and hold out for a draw.
But while Lekhiwya couldn’t find a breakthrough till late in the first half, they were constantly mounting attacks and it was just a matter of time when they would score. And they did that in the 37th minute through a great team effort. Ismail Mahmoud passed to Weiss at the edge of the box and the Slovakian played a great 1-2 with Mohamed Muntari and scored the opening goal of the match.
The second goal of the match came just eight minutes later. Karim Boudiaf crossed the ball into the box and Msakni ran in through the defence and put the ball in the back of the net. Mesaimeer players appealed for offside but the Tunisian striker had timed his run to perfection.
Lekhwiya ended up with 62 per cent possession in the first half and continued their domination in the second. On this side of the break they had a few chances but couldn’t find a third goal. Muntari came close in the 73rd minute when he was released by Weiss but his shot was deflected off the keeper’s legs.
The defending champions are now in third place in the standings, just one point behind El Jaish. Mesaimeer are still propping the table with just four points from their 13 matches so far.