Al Rayyan's Gonzalo Viera celebrates after scoring a goal during the Asian Champions League play-off match against Al Wahda at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha yesterday.
Goals from South American duo Gonzalo Viera and Victor Caceres ensured Al Rayyan’s quest for a first-ever place in the AFC Champions League knockout phase got off to the best possible start as they defeated Al Wahda 2-1 in their Group D opener yesterday at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.
Uruguayan defender Viera handed Al Rayyan the lead on 13 minutes after heading in from a corner but Korean full-back Rim Chang-woo restored parity ten minutes before the half-time break after volleying home from another set-piece.
Michael Laudrup’s Qatari champions were not to be denied the three points in front of their fans, though, as from yet another dead ball situation – this time a free-kick wide on the right – the ball eventually reached Paraguay midfielder Caceres who headed past Al Wahda goalkeeper Rashed Ali to give Al Rayyan the lead on the hour mark and all three points on the night.
Meanwhile, Brazilian forward Hulk blasted Shanghai SIPG to a 1-0 victory over FC Seoul but the big-spending Chinese giants needed to survive a penalty and a red card before winning their AFC Champions League opener yesterday.
Hulk's rocket of a strike on 53 minutes got Andre Villas-Boas's team off to a winning start in Group F, where they lie second on goal difference after Urawa Red Diamonds' 4-0 demolition of Western Sydney Wanderers.
In Group E, Kashima Antlers beat Ulsan Hyundai 2-0 and Brisbane Roar were held to a 0-0 home draw by Thailand's Muangthong United.
SIPG have splashed out 60 million euros on Brazilian midfielder Oscar, among other buys, in their bid for glory after they reached last year's quarter-finals under Sven-Goran Eriksson.
But a speculative effort from Hulk and another shot way over the bar from the Brazilian were the closest SIPG came in a tepid first half in front of a noisy Seoul crowd.
At the other end, Dejan Damjanovic had a chance to finish off a sweeping move from the hosts but the Montenegrin striker shot tamely at goalkeeper Yoo Hyun from close range.
Oscar's most significant moment of the first half came when he petulantly raised his hand to Lee Sang-Ho's throat and shoved the Seoul forward, earning a yellow card.
But the muscular Hulk brought the game to life with a moment of magic on 53 minutes, when he smashed a left-footed shot from well outside the box which swerved into the top corner. Earlier, Japan's Urawa smashed four second-half goals past Western Sydney Wanderers to open their campaign with a thumping win.
