Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Qatar's Al Rayyan picked up their first points in the AFC Champions League as goals from Rodrigo Tabata, Daniel Goumou and Ahmed Alaadin secured a hard-fought 3-1 win over spirited AFC Cup winners Nasaf following an entertaining Group A contest at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium.
After a spirited comeback against Al Jazira two weeks ago fell just short as Al Rayyan suffered a second defeat in Group A, Tabata set the home side on their way after just nine minutes.
Ilkhom Shomurodov netted a deserved equaliser for the visitors just before the hour mark, but after Goumou quickly responded, teenager Ahmed Alaadin sealed the win with two minutes remaining as Al Rayyan kick-started their campaign while handing Nasaf a second defeat in three games.
And with Al Jazira maintaining their 100% record with an impressive 2-1 win over Esteghlal in Iran, the UAE Pro League side stretched their lead at the top of the table to five points over Esteghlal, with Al Rayyan a further point off the pace at the halfway mark in Group A.
"We played well. We wanted to win and we made it and we still have a chance to go through to the next round," said Al Rayyan coach Diego Aguirre.
"Our young players showed their characters and Abdulla Afifa was the man of the match in my opinion.
"We scored three goals, but we also missed many easy chances. We also must improve our performance in defence, but I think we have time until the next game.
"With Al Jazira winning, I think everything is possible for us in the group."
With just nine minutes on the clock, Tabata was allowed space on the edge of the Nasaf penalty area and the tricky Brazilian midfielder expertly curled a left-footed strike into the back of the net out of the reach of the despairing dive from Nasaf goalkeeper Murotion Zukhurov.
Uzbekistan Olympic team skipper Fozil Musaev should have equalised for Nasaf midway through the first half only for goalkeeper Soud Al Hajri and Goumou to save Al Rayyan with two last-gasp blocks on the goalline.
Nasaf, though, continued to improve at the start of the second half and were rewarded two minutes before the hour mark as Shomurodov's powerful downward header from the edge of the six yard area gave Al Rayyan goalkeeper Al Hajri no chance.
But the visitors were level for just seven minutes as Goumou took one touch to control Afonso Alves' delightful cross field pass just inside the penalty area before the Guinean-born Qatari midfielder dispatched an unstoppable right-footed strike into the far corner with Zukhurov rooted to the spot.
Nasaf pressed for another equaliser as the lively Musaev drifted a shot just wide of the upright with Al Hajri at full stretch before opposite number Zukhurov kept the visitors within touching distance by denying Tabata with six minutes remaining.
But with time running down a vicious strike from substitute Alaadin deceived Zukhurov and found the back of the net after the hard-working Alves had laid the ball back into the teenagers' path 25 yards from goal.
"Al Rayyan deserved to win. We tried our best in the second half, but we couldn't score more than one goal," said Nasaf coach Roziqul Berdiev.
"We still have a chance and I think three teams will fight for second place in the group."
Photo: AFP