Doha, 12 January 2021 - Al Rayyan beat Qatar SC 2-1 in Week 14 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Sadd Stadium on Tuesday.
Al Rayyan’s goals were scored by Yohan Boli (45+1) and Shojae Khalilzadeh (54th minute). Qatar SC’s reply came through Youcef Belaili (79th minute).
It was the sixth win of the season for Al Rayyan, now playing under coach Laurent Blanc. The Lions have 22 points, whereas Qatar SC have a tally of 23.
After a fast start, Al Rayyan produced their first real threat in the ninth minute when Franck Kom, positioned close to the Qatar SC box, unleashed a powerful left-footed drive that hit the crossbar and trickled back into play.
Qatar SC produced a similar move on a free-kick three minutes later. Elmehdi Barrahma curled in a long-range shot that beat the Al Rayyan wall, but keeper Fahad Younis blocked the move. The ball slipped out of his hands, but Qatar SC striker Anthony Okpotu, who lunged at the ball, ended up ramming into the Al Rayyan keeper.
Six minutes later, Al Rayyan mounted another attack – on an indirect free-kick – but Qatar SC keeper Jassim Al Hail remained alert to block a header by Gabriel Mercado and then a close-range tap by Boli.
With Al Rayyan making positive moves, even coach Blanc was seen smiling. His smile got wider as Al Rayyan’s Abdelaziz Hatem, in the 37th minute, curled in a powerful shot from the edge of the box, but once again Qatar SC keeper remained agile to block the move.
Two minutes later, Belaili smashed a bullet into Al Rayyan crossbar with a shot a few feet away from the box. Relentless attacks helped Al Rayyan take the lead seconds before the half-time whistle.
Qatar SC’s Khaled Ahmed fired a shot towards keeper Al Hail. But Boli, stationed nearby, jumped at the opportunity, reached the ball first and send the deflection past the keeper with a quick tap from close range.
Al Rayyan doubled their lead early in the second half. A spectacular volley on a loose header inside the Qatar SC box helped Shojae score his first goal of the season with a powerful shot in the 54th minute.
In the 63rd minute, Al Rayyan skipper Yacine Brahimi nearly pulled off the third goal, but his powerful shot from inside the box was blocked by Qatar SC keeper.
In the 80th minute, Bashar Resan of Qatar SC sneaked into the Al Rayyan box and tapped a cross toward Belaili. The Al Rayyan keeper charged towards the ball, but Belaili hoodwinked his marker and after a few steps, dinked a low shot into the empty net.
