Ooredoo Cup: Al Ahli beat Al Rayyan 2-0 in second round
AL Ahli beat Al Rayyan 2-0 in Round 2 (Group A) of the 2021-2022 season Ooredoo Cup at the Al Wakrah Stadium on Wednesday.
Goals from Mouz Gadelseed (12th minute) and Patrick Eze (5 th minute) powered Al Ahli to a commanding win.
Al Ahli have four points now. On the other hand, Al Rayyan, playing their first match in the tournament, have yet to open their account.
The match got off to a fast-paced start, with both sides creating chances early. Al Rayyan’s Mubarak Eid Al Nasser blocked a shot by Al Ahli’s Al Dokali Al Sayed from close range with a sliding move that pushed the ball away in the eighth minute.
The first goal came when Mouz made the most of a keeper’s gaffe by Al Rayyan’s Saoud Al Hajri, who pushed a short cross to team-mate Yousef Fakharuddin on the edge of the box. Fakharuddin fumbled with the ball that was picked up by Abdulrahman Al Harazi, who spotted Mouz unmarked near the spot-kick area. After receiving a cross from Al Harazi, Mouz easily slotted the ball into the net to give Al Ahli the lead as Al Rayyan coach Laurent Blanc watched from the stands.
Five minutes later, Fakharuddin went solo with a longish run, but when he entered the Al Ahli box, his shot from close range was blocked by Al Ahli keeper Yazan Naim.
In the 32nd minute, Al Dokali broke into the Al Rayyan box, but his shot lacked pace to rattle the goalkeeper who pouched the low shot to kill the threatening move.
A couple of minutes later, Eze also icked one from close range, but Al Rayyan’s Mubarak Eid Al Nasser blocked the shot with a header of his own.
In the 5 th minute, Al Rayyan’s Moameen Mutasem, with ball in his possession, showed lack of experience as Al Ahli’s Serbian midfielder Marko Jevtovic produced a sliding tackle to ick the ball to an unmarked Eze. The Nigerian forward wasted little time in drilling a shot past the outstretched left hand of Al Hajri.
In the 83rd minute, Eze attempted a back- ick on a loopy corner kick. The ball took the de ection and hit the far post with Al Rayyan keeper and backline all beaten.
Earlier, Al Gharafa and Qatar SC shared points after a 1-1 draw in their match at the Qatar SC Stadium.
Cheick Diabate (23rd minute) scored for Al Gharafa, while Abdulaziz Adel ( 9th minute) gave Qatar SC’s reply.
Al Gharafa, playing their first match in the tournament, and Qatar SC are now on one and four points respectively.
In the eighth minute, Al Gharafa’s Malian striker Diabate got close to Qatar SC goal, but his right-footed drive sailed above the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Al Gharafa’s Abdullah Ali went long-range, but his shot also sailed above the Qatar SC crossbar.
In the 15th minute, Ahmed Al Saadi of Qatar SC got time and space to drill a shot, but he caught a de ection off Saied El Hajj’s leg as the ball went out for a corner.
Young Abdullah Ali picked up a cross from close to the Qatar SC box in 23rd minute. After charging ahead with the ball, he picked out an unmarked Diabte inside the box and the latter easily de ected the ball into the top of the net from close range to give Al Gharafa the lead.
Qatar SC produced the equalizer through Abdulaziz, who outpaced two defenders before producing a bullet from the edge of Al Gharafa box.