Al-Rayyan Qatar suffered a new defeat, the second in a row AFC Champions League for the eliteAfter losing to Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia by two goals to one in the latter’s stronghold, “Al Awal Park,” the balance remains empty amid fears about the team’s future in the competition.
As was the case against Al-Hilal, the Qatari team was not that bad from a technical standpoint against Al-Nasr, after it presented a convincing display, but again it lacked effectiveness at the right time in terms of translating opportunities, and was killed by conceding goals that turned matters morally in favor of the competitor.
The offer alone is not enough for Al Rayyan according to the tournament system, which gives you ample chances to qualify by being among the top eight out of the 12 teams in the Western League. But qualifying first requires collecting points, which it does not do.”Terrible“Until now, he is in a late position (penultimate), not because he is among the worst at the technical level, but because so far he has not collected any points, conceded five goals and only scored two goals.
Al Rayyan presented an ideal first half, in terms of the strategy it followed – with logic – by retreating to the back positions, and relying on transformations that it did not invest in two dangerous scenes, one of which meant turning things upside down by burdening the opponent and its stars, led by the Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo. He did not do so, while he did not succeed in continuing the defensive solidity that he showed throughout the 45 minutes, and conceded a goal in stoppage time with a mistake that seemed naive in covering the Senegalese Sadio Mane, who came from behind the defenders and headed a cross into the net, amid a situation that was considered an individual attack. Before defenders who are supposed to have a lot of cumulative experience.
How did the delay turn the pressure from one party to another?
The pressure was of course on.”Global“Demanding victory after stumbling in front of the Iraqi police, however, the goal scored in the last breath of stoppage time in the first half reversed the course of events, so Al Rayyan became required to leave and abandon the strategy with which it started the match, and open its stadium, which put its goal under the weight of a direct threat that ended with a goal. A second for Don, so the pressure on Al Rayyan increased and Al Nasr’s confidence doubled.
Al Rayyan is credited with that uprising in the last minutes after a goal – usually – by its best player, the Brazilian Roger Guedes. The success came late, but that goal confirmed that Al Rayyan has the capabilities that qualify it to compete against teams nominated to compete for the title. But small details contributed to his downfall twice, whether against Al-Hilal, or Al-Nasr, which he faced in Riyadh.
Pressures began to surround coach Younis Ali, who suffered the second loss in a row under his command, between the first local loss to Al-Arabi, then a second continental loss to Al-Nasr, which is the fourth loss in the last four matches in total, which means that the signs extend to the team as a whole and not the coach who seemed to need correction. The path before entering a dark tunnel.
Was the programming of Al Rayyan matches unfair?
The programming of the continental matches may have done an injustice to Al Rayyan, as it began the competition against Al Hilal, one of the most prominent teams on the Asian continent in recent years, if not the most prominent with its high-caliber stars, and the extraordinary candidate to compete for the title and not just qualify for the next rounds, and then he found himself forced To leave for Riyadh to face Al-Nasr, which is also nominated to compete for the title in light of the stars it has, led by “The Don”.
The next mission for Al Rayyan is no less important than facing Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium next October 21, meaning that it has met and will meet in the first three matches three Saudi clubs that are among the candidates to compete for the title, especially in light of the revolution that the Saudi League has been experiencing since last season.
Al Rayyan must realize that the offer alone will not be enough, meaning that Al Raheeb will be required to win in order to place itself among those with chances of qualifying, because a new loss means that the team will chase those chances according to conditions that may not be met.
