Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan coach Vicente Moreno wants his side to return to winning ways in the AFC Champions League Two when they take on Oman’s Al Nahda in Muscat today, knowing a victory will boost their hopes of advancing from Group C.
“We need to secure another win in this competition. I hope we play well and, if possible, come away with a victory,” Moreno said yesterday ahead of the match at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
Moreno expects a difficult match against an Al Nahda side they also faced last season, warning that both teams have changed since their previous meetings.
“Every year and every match is unique. We have a different squad and a new coach, while our opponents have also brought in new players. Tomorrow’s match will be very challenging, and we must perform at our absolute best if we want to win,” he said.
Al Rayyan began their Group C campaign with an exciting 4-3 victory over Jordan’s Al Faisaly before suffering a 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun in their last outing. They are second with three points, one behind group leaders
Al Taawoun.
The Lions, however, head into the continental fixture in good domestic form. They thrashed Al Sailiya 6-1 on Friday to maintain their two-point lead over Al Sadd and Al Duhail at the top of the Qatar Stars League.
Al Rayyan player Diogo Amaro also stressed the importance of getting back to winning ways in the continental competition.
“We recognise that
Al Nahda are a very strong team, and we are expecting a difficult match. We didn’t win our last AFC Champions League game, so now is the time to get back on the winning track. We will give everything we have to secure all three points,” he said.
Amaro also played down concerns over a demanding schedule, saying the squad had enough depth and quality to cope with the fixture congestion.
Meanwhile, group leaders Al Taawoun, who defeated
Al Rayyan 2-1, will face Al Faisaly in the other Group C match in Amman. Al Faisaly also have three points after beating Al Nahda 2-0, while the Omani side have one point.
