Al Rayyan Under-23 coach Gilson Souza (right) during a pre-match press conference, held yesterday, ahead of their final QNB Stars League match against Qatar SC, which will be played tomorrow.
Former champions Al Rayyan are eyeing the best possible finish to their QNB Stars League season – a top four finish - as they take on Qatar SC in their last game at Al Sadd Stadium tomorrow.
Al Rayyan are placed fourth with 34 points and a victory against Qatar SC in the Round 22 clash will ensure a top-four finish for ‘The Lions’, but a draw or a defeat may cost them dearly.
With fifth-placed Al Ahli (33 points) taking on Al Khor in other match tomorrow, Al Rayyan are aware of the importance of the final match of the league, which Al Sadd clinched in the previous round by reaching a mark of 54 points, grabbing an unassailable lead of 7 points over second-placed Al Duhail.
“We will try hard to win. Otherwise, we will make things difficult for ourselves as far as top-four finish is concerned,” Al Rayyan Under-23 coach Gilson Souza said at a pre-match press conference.
“We are through with our AFC Champions League third-round engagement and now we are fully focused on our game against Qatar SC,” he said before adding that his team was looking to bounce back from a defeat to UAE’s Al Wahda in Tuesday’s AFC Champions League game.
“We have some injury concerns, but we will prepare the players to face Qatar SC, who are going through a difficult situation. But that does not concern me. We will focus on achieving our target of finishing among the top four,” Souza added.
Meanwhikle, Qatar SC, along with Al Khor (19 points) and Al Kharaitiyat, are involved in the fight to avoid relegation.
Qatar SC are in the 11th position with 16 points, just one point ahead of bottom-placed Al Kharaitiyat. The Kings have four wins, as many draws and 13 defeats against their name. Their goal difference is -21 (17 goals for and 38 against).
Al Kharaitiyat face Al Sailiya, who are keen to finish third with a win at Al Gharafa Stadium tomorrow. Al Sailiya, who played out a 2-2 draw with Al Rayyan in the last round, are placed third with 35 points.
