Doha: Al Arabi came from a goal and a man down to beat Al Rayyan 2-1 in the opening match in Week 6 of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday.
Substitute Youssef Msakni restored parity for The Dream Team in the 61st minute, after Achraf Bencharki had given Al Rayyan the lead in the 16th minute, before Marco Verratti put the icing on the cake in the 85th minute as Al Arabi recorded their first win of the season.
With the win, Al Arabi now have seven points, while Al Rayyan remained on six points.
The high-tempo encounter bore all the hallmarks of a grudge game right from the start, with each team and coach determined to prove a point considering the situation of things in the build up to the match.
The Dream Team, now under the leadership of the American-English coach Anthony Hudson, got what seemed to be a dream start in the seventh minute after they were initially awarded a penalty, after a VAR check, with Ahmed Alaa adjudged to have been fouled by Al Rayyan’s goalkeeper Samy Beldi.
The decision was again rescinded and Beldi’s initial yellow card cancelled, just before the spot kick was to be taken in the ninth minute, after another VAR check indicated that the Qatari player was in an offside position before receiving the pass that led to the foul, much to the relief of the Al Rayyan bench, now coached by former Al Arabi’s trainer, Younes Ali, who joined The Lions just five days after parting ways with Al Arabi.
Seven minutes after Al Rayyan drew the first blood, Bencharki nodded the ball home from an unmarked position after an excellent display by Abdelaziz Hatem inside Al Arabi’s box to give coach Ali something to smile about.
Al Arabi were reduced to ten men in the 24th minute after Alaa was giving the marching orders for a hard tackle on Hazem Shehata, which necessitated the Qatari player being helped off the field for further treatment. Alaa’s teammate Ahmed Fathy was also shown the yellow card for complaint following Alaa’s punishment. The injured Shehata was eventually replaced by Ahmed Al Minhali in the 32nd minute.
Despite the late pressure from Al Arabi, Al Rayyan, however, maintained their lone lead going into the second half.
Al Arabi continued their attempts at restoring parity in the second half, and they had some close calls in the early minutes of resumption, but Al Rayyan’s defence and goalkeeper Beldi, in particular, were outstanding in staving off the attacks.
After several attempts, substitute Msakni, who came in for Hassan Alaa Aldeen at halftime, eventually got the equaliser for Al Arabi in the 61st minute, knocking home the ball after goalkeeper Beldi mishandled a set-piece by Rodri.
Al Arabi, who have been in splendid form, particularly in the second half, eventually got their lead five minutes before regulation time through Verratti, who fired home a low-driven shot from the edge of the box to the left-hand corner of Al Rayyan’s goal.
The goal proved to be the difference between the two sides as Al Arabi recorded their first win of the season through their new coach, while coach Ali continues his search for his first victory after six matches played.
