DOHA: Qatar Stars League (QSL) points leaders Al Rayyan yesterday crushed Al Ahli to return to winning ways after their shock loss last week.
Last Thursday, hosts Al Sadd beat Al Rayyan 2-1 at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in a round 12 clash.
Playing with purpose in their runs, the Lions resumed normal service at Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday. If Al Ahli thought that defeat would have any impact on Al Rayyan players, then they were mistaken.
Al Rayyan got the early goal through their skipper Rodrigo Tabata and didn’t look back from there. In the 22nd minute, Myongin Koh lobbed a clever ball into the box and Tabata swiftly beat the offside trap and get to the end of it.
The Brazilian then slotted it past the Al Ahli ‘keeper Amer Dosari to give his team the lead.
The second goal came right at the end of the first half and it was a text book one at that.
Mohammed Alalawi crossed from the left flank and experienced striker Sebastian Soria calmly headed the ball home as Al Rayyan went into the beak with a comfortable two-goal cushion.
In the second half, Al Rayyan took just about the same time as in the first half to score a goal. Twenty four minutes into the second half, Soria ran down the right flank and delivered a long cross.
Alalawi received the ball and quickly ran behind the Al Ahli defence to score his team’s third goal. Al Ahli were able to get a consolation goal through skipper Meshal Abdullah in the 72nd minute.
This loss means that Al Ahli have now gone for six matches without a win. They have lost three and endured three stalemates. For a team that finished fifth in the table last season, they are currently languishing in ninth place.
Coach Zlatko Kranjcar will need his boys to step up if they are to at least match their last season’s performance.
Al Rayyan now have a tally of 36 points from 13 games.
The Peninsula
