Doha: A fantastic individual effort by Rodrigo Tabata in the second half proved to be the difference between Al Rayyan and El Jaish as the Lions grabbed all three points in the most entertaining match of the season.
In the Round 10 match of the Qatar Stars League (QSL), Al Rayyan won 2-1 to extend their unbeaten streak to ten wins.
Al Rayyan was pushed all the way by El Jaish who for large parts of the game looked the more likely to score, but the Lions rode out the storm and Al Rayyan started the match at a high tempo, pinning back El Jaish who could hardly cope with Al Rayyan’s early pressure.
However the first shot on target came from some great link-up play down the left flank, which culminated in Sador Rashidov strike (13’).
El Jaish began to get into their stride and Murad Naji did well on the edge of the box to react quickest to loose ball as he sent in a dangerous looping half volley(18’).
Finally Al Rayyan came alive down the right wing as Paraguayan midfielder Caceres and Soria combined well, with the later hitting a powerful drive on target (35’).
In the 42 minute El Jaish suffered a blow when centre back Lucas had to leave the field due to a head injury, he was replaced by Mohamed Jabri.
Then, Al Rayyan managed to get a crucial goal just before half time, despite being under the cosh for the last ten minutes of the first half.
Soria was able to latch onto a Caceres through-ball and the Qatari didn’t hesitate as he blasted the ball low into the net (45’).
After the restart El Jaish piled on the pressure but it was the Lions who were the more effective with Soria coming closest.
Then Jaish’s Rashidov began to pull the strings on the wing and unleased a thunderous strike on 52 minutes but keeper Omer Barry did well to tip the ball over for a corner.
On 60 minutes El Jaish made change by bringing on Hamdallah for Wagner as the Soldiers chased the game. It would prove to be a wise substitution later in the game.
Five minutes later Tabata played a quick corner and sent in a great delivery, Garcia, one of the smallest players on the pitch rose highest and struck the post on 65 minutes. Then Al Rayyan had another chance two minutes later as a deflected pass found Soria who with only the keeper to beat struck a weak shot that keeper Khalifa scooped up.
With the minutes ticking by El Jaish became more and more impatient and failed to create any kind of meaningful build up play.
Hamdallah who came on as a sub scored with almost his first touch of the ball as Rashidov supplied an inch perfect pass for the Moroccan who cut in and sent a calmly placed shot into the bottom left (85’).
Just a minute later however, Al Rayyan’s player of the season, Tabata controlled the ball on the edge of the box and sent in a delightful low curing effort which beat El Jaish’s rangy keeper with the ball nestling in the left corner.
It was a night of high drama which show-cased two teams with plenty of quality but Al Rayyan proved to be the more clinical in front of goal as they ran out winner in a match that could define the Lion’s season.
Al Rayyan is the first team in QSL history to win ten consecutive games in a row from the start of the season and if yesterday’s performance is anything to go by then they will be breaking plenty more records for the foreseeable future.
The Peninsula
