AFC.com
Steven N'zonzi was Al Rayyan's hero as his strike salvaged a 1-1 draw with Sharjah in their AFC Champions League™ 2022 Group A tie on Friday.
Bernard’s sublime free-kick separated the sides going into the break before N'zonzi ensured Al Rayyan walked away with a share of the points after scoring from close range.
The result leaves the teams on four points at the halfway stage, with both having much to do if they are to advance to the Round of 16.
Al Rayyan started the match on the backfoot as Sharjah applied the early pressure with the Emirati side coming close on several occasions in the opening minutes.
Bernard, who scored a goal and assisted another in Sharjah’s 2-1 win against Istiklol, was in the thick of the action again when he floated the ball into the six-yard-box in the first minute but Al Rayyan keeper Fahad Younis was able to punch it clear.
Sharjah’s pleas for a penalty were unsuccessful in the sixth minute when Ben Malango, who was clear on goal, was outmuscled by the Al Rayyan defenders inside the box after being fed by Bernard.
Qatar's Al Rayyan, who fell to a 3-0 defeat against Al Hilal SFC on Matchday Two, were struggling to find their rhythm as Bernard had a chance in the ninth minute when he gained possession from just above the box but his long-range effort was easily saved by Younis.
The Qatari outfit barely troubled the Sharjah defence with Steven Nzonzi failing to steer Yacine Brahimi’s cross on target just before the half-hour mark, while Brahimi’s forced effort from inside the box was easily parried away seven minutes later.
Sharjah’s persistence was finally rewarded at the stroke of half-time when Bernard curled in a sublime free-kick from 30 yards out past the Al Rayyan defence with Younis rooted on his line.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s Sharjah continued their free-flowing football after the break and should have scored in the 52nd minute when Al Hussain Saleh sent a delightful cross into the box but Malango couldn’t keep his shot on target.
The UAE side continued their wave of attacks and came close in the 62nd minute when substitute Abdullah Kazim found space on the right flank before sending a teasing cross into the box just beyond the path of an advancing Bernard.
Al Rayyan, however, clawed their way back in the 65th minute when N'zonzi scored off a rebound after Sharjah goalkeeper Adel Alhosani failed to hold on to Yohan Boli’s close-range header off Yacine Brahimi’s corner.
Both sides will be eager to bounce back when they meet in the reverse fixture on Tuesday.