Wahda rout Rayyan
abu dhabi — Al Wahda ended their barren run in the AFC Champions League encounters with a superb 5-1 win over Qatari side Al Rayyan at Al Nahyan Stadium on Monday night. Importantly, the capital club managed to keep their hopes alive of qualifying into the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Al Ain thrashed Zob Ahan 3-0 to top Group C with nine points. The Group D encounter was an evenly-poised one as both teams pressed and attacked in search of goals. And there were as many as three scored in either halves.
The opener came from Al Rayyan’s boot in the 21st minute. A diving Al Wahda keeper Rashed Ali couldn’t do much as Spanish striker Sergio Garcia belted a longranger which hit the right side of the post and went in. In the 33rd minute, Al Wahda equalised through Ahmed Al Akbari’s cheeky goal. Both the scorers were given the luxury of movement and time. An unchallenged Garcia discovered a fine gap between keeper Ali and the post to let go a scorcher from 27metres. In the case of Al Akbari, he easily slipped the radar of Al Rayyan defenders to place the ball beyond an advancing Omar Bari and defender Victor Caceres.
The goal gave Al Wahda fans reason to cheer their team again. And just before half-time, Al Wahda midfielder Balazs Dzsudzsak scored a blazing goal. Chilean midfielder Jorge Valdivia drew defenders’ attention at the left post and passed the ball to the Hungarian, who blasted a rocket.
After the break, the ‘Clarets’ kept hunting for goals. The goal difference of minus three was surely on their minds. And in the 52nd minute, Salem Sultan scored from Dzsudzsak’s curling free kick. It was a ripper and the ‘Clarets’ defender had to just redirect the cross towards the goal as the pace of the delivery did the rest.
Three minutes later it could have been one more but striker Sebastian Tagliabue failed to find power and direction on a groovy pass from Ahmed Al Akbari. Al Wahda’s Argentinian striker, however, made amends in the 72nd minute. A solo run from the right flank saw Tagliabue shot a thunderous strike past keeper Bari. With 4-1, coach Javier Aguirre replaced Valdivia with Ismail Matar.
Al Wahda strikes put Al Rayyan in a desperate situation and tempers flared. Al Rayyan increasingly pushed forward but Al Wahda defenders were up to the task and bottled the Qatari attacks. And in the 86th minute, Al Wahda punished again though Khalil Ibrahim. The midfielder was clam before the goal and confidently drilled past keeper Bari to make it 5-1.
Meanwhile, group leaders Al Hilal and Persepolis FC played a goalless draw at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. Al Wahda’s knockout stage prospects depend on a big win next month against Persepolis FC and Al Hilal thrashing Al Rayyan.
Goals > Al Wahda (5): Ahmed Al Akbari (33), Balazs Dzsudzsak (43), Salem Sultan (52), Sebastian Tagliabue (72), Khalil Ibrahim (86) Al Rayyan (1): Sergio Garcia (21)