Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Alaa during team’s training session yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan SC will look to strengthen their bid for a place in the AFC Champions League Two knockout stage when they host Oman’s Al Nahda in a Group C match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium today.
With seven points from three matches, Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun lead the group, one point ahead of Al Rayyan.
Jordan’s Al Faisaly have three points, while Al Nahda are bottom with one.
A victory would put Al Rayyan in a strong position to advance to the Round of 16, with the Qatari side looking to build on their recent win over Al Nahda in Oman.
Coach Vicente Moreno, however, expects another difficult test despite his team’s previous success against the Omani side.
“Tomorrow’s match is very important for us, firstly because we are playing at home in front of our fans, and it will be crucial to secure a victory,” Moreno said at the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“We know the match will be extremely difficult. It’s true we beat them in the last encounter, but I like this team. They are a good team, and I’m sure tomorrow’s match will be very tough for us,” he added.
Moreno said he had confidence in his players and expected them to give their best, while acknowledging the busy schedule, with a QSL match against Al Sadd coming up next.
He also indicated that changes could be made to the line-up but stressed that his immediate focus remained on Al Nahda.
Reflecting on the recent draw against Al Arabi, Moreno said his side had played a serious match and created opportunities, adding that he remained confident in the team’s ability to win more matches.
Meanwhile, Al Taawoun will host Jordan’s Al Faisaly at Wolves Park in Buraidah. The Saudi side can secure their knockout-stage place if they win and Al Nahda fail to beat Al Rayyan.
