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Al Rayyan made a perfect start to their Gulf Club Champions League campaign with a resounding 5-0 victory over Yemen’s Tadamon Hadramaut in their opening match at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium Wednesday.Brazilian forward Roger Guedes set the tone with a brace in the first half, scoring in the 17th and 28th minutes. The third goal came early in the second half when Yemeni defender Ayoub Tlili turned a cross into his own net (49th minute). Rodrigo Moreno (68th minute) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (90+6th minute) added further strikes to complete the rout.The home side dominated from the outset, pressing high and creating chances with sustained attacking pressure. Guedes broke the deadlock after a corner slipped past the defence, before doubling his tally with a thunderous strike from outside the box.After the restart, Tlili’s own goal widened the gap, and Moreno converted from a Mitrovic cross to make it four. Mitrovic then capped the night in stoppage time with a powerful header off a Wesley delivery.The emphatic win secured Al Rayyan’s first three points and a direct passage to the semi-finals of the competition. Al Rayyan midfielder Jassim Jaber hailed the team’s performance, calling the victory an “important motivation” for the squad moving forward.“We performed well and pressed from the start with the goal of winning, and that’s what we achieved,” Jaber said. “I thank the players for their great effort. The team has proven it has strong starters and substitutes who can maintain a high level.”

Two of Qatar’s football giants will collide when Al Sadd host Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Thursday. The clash, which kicks off at 8pm, promises to be one of the early season highlights, pitting two sides that have dominated the domestic scene over the past decade.Both teams enter the fixture level on seven points, separated only by goal difference. Al Duhail sit sixth with two wins, two losses and a draw, while Al Sadd are just behind in seventh after recording the same results but with fewer goals scored. With the season still in its early stages, neither side can afford to lose ground in the title race, making the encounter one with potentially significant repercussions.While the league table shows little between them, recent form tells a different story. Duhail arrive brimming with confidence after back-to-back victories, including a 4-2 win over Umm Salal and a statement 8-1 demolition of Al Arabi. These results have re-energised Djamel Belmadi’s side after a patchy start, sending a message to rivals that Duhail remain serious contenders. Al Sadd, by contrast, have stumbled in their last two outings, losing to Al Shahania before being held to a draw by Al Wakrah. Felix Sanchez’s men have shown flashes of their attacking quality but have struggled to convert dominance into victories.Sanchez on Wednesday emphasised the need for his players to stay composed under pressure. “We have a very competitive match. We finished last season as the top two teams in the league, so we expect it to be a tough match,” he said. “Unfortunately, we were not able to score many points in the last two matches, so we will try to bounce back. We know the situation is not easy, but the players are accustomed to dealing with the pressure of competition and we must achieve the desired results.”Al Sadd’s veteran defender Boualem Khoukhi underlined the importance of the contest, describing it as “worth six points.”He said: “Every player will give 100 per cent to win. I know how sad our fans are with the team’s current results and we will do everything in our capacity to make them happy. The match will be at our home stadium and the presence of fans will provide us with great motivation, especially before our match against Sharjah of the UAE in the AFC Champions League Elite.”Duhail coach Belmadi, on the other hand, was quick to highlight the historical weight of the rivalry. “The match against Al Sadd is always a top-of-the-range affair, regardless of the circumstances and results of the two teams,” he said. “If we look back over the past 15 years, we will find that the competition has always been confined to the two teams, and this confirms to everyone the value of this match. It will be a very significant encounter.”The Algerian added: “Each match has its own unique nature and the accompanying events vary from one match to the next. We achieved a big win against Al Arabi in our last match, while Al Sadd settled for a draw in the same round. This does not mean much and does not reflect the outcome of the next match. The match against Al Sadd always has its own unique characteristics, and we will try to put in a strong performance against a strong competitor. We will strive to advance in the league competition, given our slight drop in the standings.”Duhail defender Sultan al-Breik echoed his coach’s sentiments: “We will try to maintain the team’s upward trend after we managed to secure six points from two consecutive victories. We will strive to achieve the match objective, which is to win with the three points.”Over the past decade, meetings between Al Sadd and Al Duhail have rarely disappointed. From title-deciding encounters to dramatic goal-fests, the rivalry has consistently delivered drama and intensity. Thursday's fixture carries all the hallmarks of another classic: two teams evenly matched on points, both with something to prove.Rayyan face GharafaIn the other match Thursday, Al Rayyan will host Al Gharafa at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Both teams are currently tied on 10 points, having won three matches, drawn one and lost one. Al Rayyan hold the advantage in goal difference and occupy the third position. Al Gharafa come into the match after a 0-0 draw against leaders Al Shamal. On the other hand, Al Rayyan secured a convincing 3-0 win over Al Ahli.

Al Rayyan edged Al Wakrah 4-3 in a thrilling QSL Cup second-round at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium Tuesday.This was Al Rayyan’s second successive win and took their points tally to six, while Al Wakrah are yet to open their account. Adel Bader (17th minute), Faisal Nouman (34th minute), Bahaa Ellethy (52nd minute) and Moustafa El Sayed (90th minute) scored for Al Rayyan.For Al Wakrah, Abdulaziz Ibrahim (66th minute penalty), Ali Saleh (68th minute) and Abdelaziz Mohammed (90+6 minute) were on target. Al Rayyan’s Cas Campion Leadbetter was shown the red card in the 75th minute for a foul against Al Wakrah’s Abdulaziz Ibrahim.Adel Bader began the scoring for The Lions slamming from centre in front of goal after being in the clear. Nouman doubled their lead with a fine strike off a diagonal cross from Bader. Post break, Bahaa Ellethy deflected in the third goal following a corner and a header.Al Wakrah scored their first goal from the spot and soon made it 2-3, with Ali Saleh smartly lobbing it over the rival goalkeeper’s head. Al Rayyan hit back, with Moustafa El Sayed scoring with a fine strike (4-2). Al Wakrah’s Abdelaziz Mohammed reduced the margin beating a diving goalkeeper in dying moments of added time (4-3).Shahania, Shamal drawIn the other match, Al Shahania and Al Shamal played out a goalless draw at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium at Al Duhail. Al Shahania had some of the best chances of the almost evenly-balanced match, but they somehow found the rock-solid defence of Al Shamal seemingly impenetrable.Both sides are yet to record a win in the tournament, having both suffered a first-round loss, with Al Shahania losing 1-2 to Al Sailiya and Al Shamal being defeated 3-1 by Umm Salal. Both teams will definitely have to up their game in the next rounds for any chance of making it to the knockout stage.In Monday's matches, Al Bidda stunned Al Sadd 3-1 thanks to Abdallah Nouri's hat-trick. Muaither drubbed Al Gharafa 5-2, while Al Duhail beat Mesaimeer 2-1 and Al Arabi drew with Al Waab.

Qatar SC scored a hard fought 1-0 win over Al Shahania in the fifth round of Qatar Stars League at the Khalifa International Stadium Sunday to take the second spot in the standings with 13 points, and behind Al Shamal on goal difference.Al Rayyan beat Al Ahli 3-0 at the Al Thumama Stadium to move third in the table with 10 points, ahead of Al Gharafa on goal difference.At the Al Bayt Stadium Umm Salal prevailed 2-1 over Al Sailiya. Umm Salal are now 6th in standings with 8 points while bottom-placed Sailiya are yet to open their account.Brazilian forward Joao Pedro made the winning strike for Qatar SC in the 54th minute as he picked on an Eisa Palangi assist to dribble past defenders before essaying a kick from inside the top of the box into the far right corner of the net.Al Shahania, who were majorly confined to defence, made some big efforts to attack in the second half including a Daouda Soliman’s attempt to go over an advancing Qatar SC goalkeeper Ali Nader Mahmoud but in vain.Al Shahania are on four points following their third loss while Qatar SC have four wins and a draw in their unbeaten run so far.The Lions make a roarAl Rayyan handed Al Ahli a 0-3 defeat taking lead in the 29th minute through Rodrigo Machado, who finished off a pass from Wesley Ribeiro with a left-footed shot from very close range. The goal was, however, contested for an offside ruling against Aleksandar Mitrovic in its buildup, but the final decision, after a lengthy VAR check, ensured that it stood to the consternation of the Al Ahli bench and stand.Mitrovic made it two for the Lions just before the half-time break, nodding home the rebound of Rodrigo's attempt that bounced off the crossbar, as the coach Artur Jorge's men went into the dugout with a comfortable lead. While Al Ahli, who are enduring one of their worst starts to the season with only one win so far, tried to cut the deficit with some impressive play after their opponents' second goal.Luck was, however, not on their side, as Al Rayyan got their third in the 86th minute with Róger Guedes, assisted by Mohamed Surag, hammering home a right-footed shot from the left side of the box following a fast break to ensure an emphatic victory for the visiting team, who recorded their third win of the season.Umm Salal find winning waysUmm Salal bounced back to winning ways with a 2-1 defeat of Al Sailiya. The match appeared evenly balanced after the hour mark when Al Sailiya’s Omar Yahya conceded a penalty following a seemingly rash challenge on Umm Salal’s Abdulrahman Al Rashidi. The decision, which was heavily contested by Al Sailiya, eventually stood after a VAR check and the resultant spot kick was cleverly converted by Oussama Tannane in the 33rd minute. Umm Salal continued to be the better side on resumption of proceedings in the second half, offering waves of relentless attacks while pegging the visitors to their own half of the field for most of the encounter.Their efforts eventually paid off as they doubled their lead in the 80th minute, with Cristo Gonzalez making a brilliant overlapping run before squaring the ball to Rami Suhail to slide into an almost empty net.A consolation goal from Khalid Ali in one minute of added time ended up doing little to help Al Sailiya’s cause as Umm Salal ended up with the maximum points in their kitty.

Al Shamal continued their stunning start to the season as they beat Al Arabi 3-2 to open a two-point lead at the top of the Qatar Stars League.At the Al Bayt Stadium Saturday, Mohammad Mannai scored a brace (32nd and 68th minutes), while Baghdad Bounedjah scored the other goal from a penalty kick in the 64th minute. For Al Arabi, Yazan al-Naimat (45+1) and Jordan Veretout (72nd minute) were on target. It was Al Shamal’s fourth straight win in as many matches and took their tally to 12 points, two ahead of Qatar SC, who drew against Al Rayyan Saturday. Al Arabi are on four points.Shamal opened their account with a goal off a long corner kick which was intercepted by Bounedjah and pushed in by al-Manai. Arabi equalised as al-Naimat broke through and struck past defenders.On the hour mark, Arabi goalkeeper Yousef Hassan made two quick saves but then Alhashmi Mohialdin fouled against Bounedjah and the side was penalised with a penalty which the Algerian scored duly.Mannai’s second goal was a smooth effort from just inside the box and Shamal went 3-1 up. Frenchman Veretout made a fine strike to make it 2-3 for Arabi, but despite their best efforts they could not equalise again.Later, Qatar SC battled to a 1-1 draw against Al Rayyan at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. In what turned out to be a thrilling 11 minutes of stoppage time, Ali Saoudi produced a blazing header (90+10’) for Qatar SC to equalise after Serbian striker Aleksander Mitrovic had fired in a goal (90+1 minute) for The Lions.With a point gained, Qatar SC’s stood second in the standings with 10 points while Al Rayyan moved up to seven points in fourth.In the 50th minute, an own goal by Qatar SC’s Nasir Baksh was ruled out for offside.The Lions rejoiced when Mitrovic fired in home from top of the box off a Roger Guedes assist but it was shortlived as Qatar SC’s Saoudi stormed in a fine Yan Mateus free kick to level score.It was goals galore at the Al Thumama Stadium as Al Ahli grabbed their first win defeating Al Wakrah. Ahli’s goals came from Fahad Waad (eighth minute own goal), Michel Vlap (27th & 72nd minutes), Suhaib Gannan (42nd minute) and Julian Draxler (89 minute). For Wakrah, Redouane Berkane (16th & 46th minutes) and Amin Zahzouh (35th minute penalty) scored.

Al Rayyan Municipality's Health Control Section has carried out an inspection and awareness campaign targeting shops at the Thursday and Friday Market. The campaign led to the detection of two food establishments selling around 190kg of rotten fish. Both shops were closed for 30 days, and the seized fish destroyed. In addition, six violation reports were issued in accordance with Law No (8) of 1990 on the regulation of human food control. The campaign also included inspections of 30 other food establishments. Al Rayyan Municipality affirmed its commitment to intensifying monitoring campaigns to ensure that food establishments comply with health requirements and to protect consumers. It also urged the public to report any violations through the Oun application or by calling the unified hotline 184.

Al Rayyan Municipality's Technical Control Section of the Municipal Control Department has intensified its inspection campaigns to detect building violations and workers’ accommodations in Muaither South, Zone (55).The campaign resulted in detecting 17 violations related to unlicensed construction, and one violation for a workers’ accommodation in a family residential area.Warning notices and violation reports were issued to the offenders, and the necessary legal procedures taken.The campaign also targeted violations related to building permits and approved plans, buildings under construction, and buildings requiring maintenance or demolition.Al Rayyan Municipality has urged property owners and tenants to comply with planning regulations and building permits, and refrain from making any modifications to buildings without the necessary approvals to preserve the city’s urban system and civilised appearance.It also affirmed that inspection campaigns will continue as part of a comprehensive plan to enhance the quality of life in the city.

Al Rayyan Sports Club Thursday officially announced the signing of Serbian international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic from Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal. The high-profile move comes as part of Al Rayyan’s efforts to strengthen their squad ahead of the new football season.In a statement, Al Rayyan expressed their appreciation to Al Hilal and its board of directors, headed by His Highness Prince Nawaf bin Saad Al Saud, for their cooperation in completing the transfer. The club described the deal as a significant step in building a competitive team capable of challenging for top honours.Mitrovic, 29, is considered one of the most prominent goal scorers of his generation. Known for his physical presence, aerial ability, and clinical finishing, the Serbian forward brings with him a wealth of experience from top leagues across Europe and Asia, as well as the international stage.The striker began his professional career at Partizan Belgrade, where he won the Serbian league title. He later moved to Anderlecht in Belgium, shining as the league’s top scorer and helping the club win the Pro League title. Mitrovic then made the switch to England, playing for Newcastle United in the Premier League, before enjoying his most prolific spell at Fulham, where he became the club’s top scorer and played a key role in securing promotion to the top tier.Before joining Al Rayyan, Mitrovic spent a successful stint with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, where he won a domestic treble the Saudi Pro League, the King’s Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup. His individual numbers have been equally impressive across all clubs he has represented.At Al Hilal, Mitrovic scored 68 goals and provided 15 assists in 79 appearances. During his time at Fulham, he netted 97 goals in 173 matches, and he scored 44 goals in 90 games for Anderlecht. On the international stage, he is the all-time leading scorer for the Serbian national team, with 62 goals in 100 appearances.

Al Rayyan rode on a Rodrigo Moreno Machado hat-trick to beat Qatar SC 4-1 in an impressive start to their QSL Cup campaign at the Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium Wednesday.In the other matches of the day, Umm Salal beat Al Shamal 3-1; Al Sailiya beat Al Shahania 2-1; and Al Khor blanked Al Bidda 3-0.A former Real Madrid player, Rodrigo Moreno struck in the 23rd, 67th and 86th minutes of the match, while Gabriel Pereira scored one in the 49th minute for Al Rayyan.Qatar SC’s only goal came from Said Brahimi in the 41st minute.Rodrigo made a sprint to beat a defender and the goalkeeper for his first strike and later slammed in from the left for his second goal. Towards the end, Rodrigo scored off a Pereira pass to complete his hat-trick.Earlier, Pereira lobbed in a ball in front of the goal which hit the left post before going in, after being provided an assist by Rodrigo.For Qatar SC, Brahimi latched on to a good chance right in front of the goal by smartly flicking the ball into the net.Al Shamal lost 1-3 to Umm Salal at Stadium 974. Al Shamal's captain Mohammed Musa mistakenly turned the ball into his own net in the 20th minute for Umm Salal’s opening goal.Al Shamal were reduced to ten-man in the 63rd minute after a red card offence which Umm Salal took advantage of to increase their lead in the 69th minute through Abulrahmman Fayez Al Rashidi, assisted by Rami Suhail Ali.Al Shamal pulled one back on the stroke of regulation time through Omar Ali, but Khaled Mansour restored Umm Salal's two-goal lead in three minutes of added time to extinguish any hopes of a comeback for Al Shamal.A Youssef Snana brace saw Al Sailiya score a 2-1 win over Al Shahania at the Al Shamal Stadium. Snana scored in the 16th and 39th minutes of the opening half.Al Shahania tried to make a comeback in the second session of the match but were successful in scoring only one goal in the 64th minute through Ali Al Muhannadi.Both sides showed more intensity in the added six minutes of injury time but the scoreline remained 2-1 in Al Sailiya’s favour.Al Khor showed sensational form as they defeated Al Bidda 3-0 at the Al Khor Stadium.In an almost one-sided clash, Al Khor went two goals up in the first 15 minutes, with the first being scored by Ali Awad in the 5th minute before Mekki MohsenTombar added the second in the 12th.Despite their several attempts, they could not, however, increase their tally until the 58th minute, when their captain, Sofiane Hanni, added the third.

Still searching for their first win of the new season of Qatar Stars League (QSL), Al Duhail aim to put it across Al Rayyan in their third round clash at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium today at 6.30pm.Runners-up of the last season, Al Duhail have so far logged one point from their opening two games while Al Rayyan have three points. Al Duhail were held 1-1 by Al Shahania and lost 1-2 to Al Wakrah whereas Al Rayyan beat Al Sailiya 3-1 and lost 2-4 to Al Shamal in their respective two rounds. Al Duhail’s coach Djamel Belmadi expressed concern while speaking ahead of the tie but hoped for his side to get back to winning ways.“There are many reasons that led to the team’s poor results at the start of the league, but it will suffice to mention one of the most important reasons: not playing consecutive matches during preparations for the new season, which may have led to a lack of harmony. We must play at our usual level and style on the field during matches from start to finish,” he said.“We haven’t achieved any victories in previous matches, and facing Al Rayyan is always difficult due to the strength and large fan base of the opposing team,” he added. Team captain Bassam al-Rawi, said, “We are not under any pressure. All teams are exposed to such things, and it is possible to stumble. The team has some new players and our performance is improving from one match to the next. However, we will not wait long, and we hope that The Al Rayyan match is the beginning of Al Duhail’s recovery and return to its usual level.”Al Duhail would be missing their goalkeeper Salah Zakaria, who was sent off in their last match, and Al Rayyan would look to exploit the Red Knights’ cautious approach.Al Rayyan coach Artur Jorge said, “We are ready to face Al Duhail. In the previous match, we made some mistakes that affected the result. Our goal now is to do our best. We’ve trained hard this week to be ready for victory.”The side’s Brazilian player Gregory da Silva said, “I came from a different continent, and I’m trying to adapt as quickly as possible. As for the match, we’ll go in wanting to win. We have confidence and we strive to get the three points.”Al Sadd to meet Al GharafaDefending champions Al Sadd will meet Al Gharafa at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium today at 8.30pm. Al Gharafa have so far garnered six points while Al Sadd have three points to their credit. Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez said his team wants to go into the international break with a win in this match.“It is important for us to win the last match before the FIFA international break. It’s important to enter the break feeling positive. We certainly want to achieve another good result for the team,” he said.“Al Gharafa have started the season strongly but we are confident of putting in a good performance on home turf and in front of our fans. It’s important for us to regain our balance after the first match. I think we performed well last week and showed improvement, and we want to continue building on that,” he added.Al Sadd player Pedro Miguel, said, “We know Al Gharafa have distinguished players and a strong squad but we also have great players. Our fans may not have been very happy with our loss in the opening match but that’s football. You can’t always win, and what matters is how you respond. We are preparing well for the upcoming matches and with time, we are improving step by step. Against Al Gharafa, we will show everyone that we are ready for the entire season.” Meanwhile Al Gharafa are looking at the return of their Romanian forward Florinel Koeman to add more muscle to their squad.Coach Pedro Martins said, “Koeman’s return to training will give the team greater options. The match against Al Sadd will be exciting and difficult. We must focus defensively without compromising our style and identity. Calm and focus are our path to achieving our goals.”The Cheetahs’ Spanish striker Joselu said, “We believe that a victory will put the team in a strong position with nine points. Al Sadd are a tough team, but we have a special team spirit this season, and we are confident in our ability to achieve a positive result with the support of our fans.”ROUND THREE SCHEDULETodayAl Rayyan vs Al Duhail at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (6:30pm)Al Sadd vs Al Gharafa at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (8:30pm)FridayAl Arabi vs Umm Salal at Al Thumama Stadium (6:30pm)Al Shahania vs Al Wakrah at Khalifa International Stadium (8:30pm)SaturdayAl Sailiya vs Al Shamal at Al Bayt Stadium (6:30pm)Qatar SC vs Al Ahli at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (8:30pm)