Alkass Digital
Al Arabi recorded their first victory of the 2024-2025 Ooredoo Stars League season with a 2-1 win over rivals Al Rayyan on Thursday at Al Thumama Stadium. Substitute Yousef Msakni was instrumental in leveling the match in the 61st minute after Achraf Bencharki had given Al Rayyan an early lead in the 16th minute. Marco Verratti then sealed the win for Al Arabi with a decisive goal in the 85th minute.
The victory lifts Al Arabi to 7 points, while Al Rayyan remains at 6 points. This marked a positive start for Al Arabi under new head coach Anthony Hudson.
The match began with a dramatic moment in the seventh minute when Al Arabi was initially awarded a penalty after a VAR check ruled that Al Rayyan goalkeeper Sami Beldi had fouled Ahmed Alaaeldin. However, after a second VAR review, it was determined that Alaaeldin had been offside before the foul, overturning both the penalty and Beldi's yellow card, much to the relief of Al Rayyan’s coach Younes Ali, who had only taken over the team five days prior after parting ways with Al Arabi.
Al Rayyan capitalized on their reprieve just minutes later, with Bencharki heading home from close range after a precise setup by Abdelaziz Hatem. This gave Younes Ali’s squad an early advantage, and things seemed to be turning against Al Arabi when they were reduced to 10 men in the 24th minute. Alaaeldin was sent off for a harsh tackle on Hazem Shehata, leading to his ejection from the match.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Al Arabi pushed hard in the second half, applying relentless pressure on Al Rayyan's defense. Their persistence paid off when Msakni, who had come on at halftime, equalized in the 61st minute after Beldi fumbled a set-piece delivery by Rodrigo.
With momentum on their side, Al Arabi continued to push forward, and Verratti's low shot from the edge of the box five minutes before full time ultimately secured the 2-1 victory.
This triumph marked Al Arabi’s first win of the season and a promising start under coach Hudson. Meanwhile, Younes Ali's Al Rayyan continues to search for their first win, having now gone six matches without victory.