Al Rayyan skipper Rodrigo Tabata (tries to kick past the Al Khor goalkeeper during their QSL match.
Al Rayyan beat Al Khor 4-1 at Al Sadd’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to secure a third-place finish as the 2016/17 QSL season drew to a close.
The Lions got off to a decent start when their captain Rodrigo Tabata found the back of the net on the 19th minute after Al Rayyan were awarded a blatant penalty. Despite the goalkeeper getting a hand on it, the power was too much for him and it smashed into the bottom left hand corner of the goal to give the Lions the lead.
Al Khor were gifted an equaliser when Al Rayyan’s goalkeeper fumbled an easy free kick, with his attempted catch bouncing of his chest and falling kindly for Mouhcine Iajour who stabbed it home from just five yards out with 25 minutes on the clock.
It didn’t take long though for Al Rayyan to gain the upper hand again and just two minutes later Koh Myong-jin found himself on the end of a lovely through ball that left Al Khor’s defense standing and Koh one on one with Al Khor’s goalkeeper with an easy finish.
Al Rayyan dominated much of the second half and on the 79th minute made it 3-1 after Tabata scored his second of the evening to make it 3-1 and claim all three points for the Lions.
With virtually the last kick of the game Tabata secured his hat trick and sealed a very successful season for the Captain as Rayyan finish the season with a convincing 4-1 win. Al Khor on the other hand finish the season hovering just a few points above the relegation zone and will be hoping for a better 2017/18 QSL season.
Elsewhere, Muaither ended their QSL campaign on a high, comprehensively defeating Al Ahli 4-0 yesterday. Three goals in 24 first half minutes all but settled the tie in favour of the already relegated side, while Muaither striker N’Guessan Yessoh, on loan from Al Ahli grabbed a brace.
Phillipe Birol’s side started the game on the front foot, and made a dream start to the match on the third minute. Minori Sato was picked out by strike parter Ahmed Yasin with a tidy pass in the box and the Japanese striker calmly lashed the ball into the back of the net to give his side an early lead.
Eleven minutes later and Muaither doubled their lead through on loan striker N’Guessan Yessoh.
Muaither looked comfortably the best side and on the 24th minute all but secured the three points through Ahmed Yasin who capitalised from a dropped ball from keeper Amer Al Dossari to head in from yards out to give Muaither a three goal cushion.
Yessoh grabbed his second of the game and seventh of the season at the start of the second half Ahmed Yasin swung in a dangerous cross and the big Ivorian headed in from close range to give Muaither a 4-0 lead.
Al Ahli pushed in the second half, but were denied by the resolute back-line of Muaither. The game finished 4-0 in favor of Philipe Birol’s side.
Meanwhile, Umm Salal needed a last-minute goal from Omar Ibrahim to edge out Al Arabi 2-1 in a entertaining encounter at Qatar SC stadium yesterday. The game looked to be heading to a 1-1 draw, before Ibrahim made a surging run and slotting the ball into the back on the net to ensure the Orange Fortress will end the QSL campaign on a high.
Al Sailiyah beat bottom of the table Al Wakrah at the Al Arabi Stadium 3-1, with Al Sailiya bouncing back from two back to back losses. Al Wakrah, who have had a torrid season and who finish the season rock bottom, failed on a consolation win and they’ll head into the Qatar Gas League on the back of yet another defeat.
