The Peninsula
Al Rayyan yesterday finally clinched their first victory at the 2021-2022 season QNB Stars League (QSL), edging Al Ahli 1-0 in their fifth round match at the Khalifa International Stadium yesterday.
In other games yesterday, Qatar SC stunned Al Gharafa 2-0 while Al Shamal and Umm Salal shared points after a 1-1 draw.
Al Rayyan, who played three draws and suffered a loss to Al Sadd in Qatar Clasico before yesterday’s match, got the boost through Yacine Brahimi’s spot-kick in 83rd minute.
Al Rayyan suffered a setback two minutes before time after Moameen Mutasem was sent off by the referee. The victory, however, lifted The Lions to 5th in the standings with 6 points while Al Ahli slipped to 11th following the defeat.
Meanwhile, at Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday, Qatar SC stunned hosts Al Gharafa, thanks to a brace by Youcef Belaili, who scored in 70th and 90+2 minutes. The win sent Qatar SC to 8th in the standings from the bottom while Al Gharafa remained third with 9 points.
In yesterday’s first match at Khalifa International Stadium, Mohsin Al Yazidi (45+1 minute) handed lead to Al Shamal. However, after relentless football, Umm Salal equalised through Abdullah Khaled (83rd minute).
The match had its fair share of hits and misses all the way. Earlier in the game, Al Shamal’s Bahaa Faisal charged into the Umm Salal box and fired a shot towards an open goal, but Umm Salal’s Aymen Abdennour blocked the shot with a solo effort just close to his goalline in the fifth minute.
However, in injury time, Mohsin, after a cross from Escobar, fired a bullet a little distance from the edge of the box. The ball sailed past the outstretched hand of the goalkeeper and crashed into the right side of the net.
Late in the match, Khaled produced a slick snap-header on a long cross from the flank to send the ball crashing into the net.
Just before the final whistle, Bakhit missed a scoring chance from close range following a solo run into the Al Shamal box.