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Al Rayyan produced a dominant second-half performance to defeat Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab 3-0 and lift the Gulf Club Champions League trophy at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. The final remained finely balanced for an hour before the match turned decisively in Al Rayyan’s favour after Al Shabab were reduced to ten men when Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco was sent off for a second booking in the 59th minute. David Garcia broke the deadlock two minutes later, while Aleksandar Mitrovic and Roger Guedes added further goals late on to seal an emphatic victory for The Lions and cap a memorable night in front of their supporters. Both teams created promising openings in a competitive first half marked by physical challenges, with Al Shabab coming closest to scoring just before the break when Hammam al-Hammami found himself one-on-one with Al Rayyan goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada, but failed to convert. Al Rayyan seized control shortly after the hour mark as Garcia rose high to meet a precise delivery from Thiago Silva on the right and powered home a well-placed header to give his side the lead. The advantage was doubled in the 79th minute when Mitrovic climbed above the defence to head in a quality corner from Rodrigo Moreno, leaving Al Shabab struggling to respond. Al Rayyan’s dominance was underlined just two minutes later as they struck again. Ahmed al-Minhali delivered a ball from the left inside the penalty area, and Mitrovic cleverly set it up for Guedes, who calmly finished to complete the scoring. The triumph marked Al Rayyan’s second trophy of the season following their QSL Cup success, and their second title since coach Vicente Moreno took charge last month. 

Al Rayyan will look to crown their impressive campaign with silverware when they take on Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab in the final of the Gulf Club Champions League Thursday at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium at 6:45pm. The Qatari side booked their place in the final with a convincing 2-0 victory over Kuwait’s Al Qadsia in the semi-final, while Al Shabab advanced after edging Iraq’s Zakho FC on penalties in the other last-four clash. Al Rayyan coach Vicente Moreno acknowledged the challenge awaiting his side but expressed confidence in the team’s readiness for the decisive encounter. “The team’s preparations for the final were good, and the focus is currently on delivering the expected level in order to win and be crowned with the Gulf title,” Moreno said. “The final match will be different and requires the highest level of concentration. We must be cautious against a strong and distinguished team that includes high-level players.” Moreno added that playing at home could provide an added boost for his side. Al Rayyan enters the final with high morale, especially since the match is being held at the club’s stadium,” he said. Midfielder Julien De Sart echoed his coach’s optimism, stressing the team’s determination to deliver in front of their supporters. “The team is ready to face Al Shabab and deliver a performance that will help us win the championship title,” De Sart said. “The final match will be difficult for both teams as each side seeks victory. We invite Al Rayyan fans, as their support will motivate the players to perform at their best level.” On the other side, Al Shabab coach Noureddine Zekri expressed confidence in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion and end their long wait for silverware. “I am confident in the team’s ability to deliver a great performance in the final and win the Gulf title,” Zekri said. “Al Shabab has a great history and a historic opportunity to return to the podium after 12 years. Al Rayyan has shown outstanding levels in the tournament and will be playing at home in front of their fans.” Striker Abderrazak Hamdallah said he is fully prepared for the challenge and eager to help his team succeed. “I am fully ready for the final match and determined to win the title and return the team to the podium,” Hamdallah said. “We will enter the match with great enthusiasm and aim to please the fans by winning the title.” 

Al Rayyan were held to a 1-1 draw by Oman’s Al Nahda in the second round of the Gulf Club Champions League at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Musacat Wednesday.The hosts took the lead through Cameroonian striker Olomo in the 55th minute, but Rodrigo Moreno restored parity for Al Rayyan ten minutes later with a fine header. Despite dominating the closing stages and missing a penalty opportunity, Al Rayyan had to settle for a point from their second outing of the tournament.Al Rayyan had won their opening match in emphatic fashion 5-0 against Yemen’s Al Tadamun Hadramaut.

Al Rayyan will look to maintain their perfect start to the Gulf Club Champions League (GCCL) when they face Omani side Al Nahda this evening at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat in a Group B clash.The Qatari giants come into the second round of the group stage brimming with confidence after a dominant 5-0 victory over Al Tadamun Hadramaut in their opening match. Now topping the group, Al Rayyan are aiming to consolidate their lead with another strong performance.Speaking ahead of the game, Al Rayyan head coach Artur Jorge underlined the importance of the fixture and his team’s ambitions. “We are heading into another match in the Gulf Championship against Al-Nahda, and we are aware of the importance of this match, which will not be easy,” said the Portuguese tactician during the pre-match press conference Tuesday.“Our goal is to continue winning in this tournament. We must do our best and perform at the level Al Rayyan is known for. We have great ambitions in this tournament, through which we hope to achieve the best results and reach the final. This requires all players to exert their utmost effort in every match.”Spanish forward Rodrigo Moreno, one of the standouts in the opening round, echoed his coach’s sentiments, stressing the team’s commitment to continuing their strong form. “Our preparations were good for this important match, through which we hope to continue our victories and achieve the desired result that will help us advance further in the tournament,” said Moreno.“We respect our opponents greatly, and we will play to continue our victories and achieve the three points we seek. This is an important tournament for us, and we seek to compete. We are ready for the challenge. We must maintain the same level we showed in the last match and play with the same enthusiasm in order to achieve victory.”

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.”