Al Rayyan captain Rodrigo Tabata (foreground) during a team’s training session, ahead of the match against Al Shahaniya.
DOHA: Group B leaders Al Rayyan and unbeaten Al Khor will be looking to maintain their form when the third round of QNB Stars League (QSL) Cup kicks off today.
Group B matches will be played today, followed by the Group A fixtures which will take place tomorrow.
Today, at the Al Ahli Stadium, Al Sailiya meet Al Sadd before Al Khor will meet Al Ahli at the same venue later. Al Rayyan take on Al Shahaniya at Al Khor Stadium in the third fixture of the day.
Al Rayyan and Al Khor are unbeaten so far after two rounds and are placed first and second respectively in Group B, depending on the goal difference.
Al Rayyan scored 11 goals conceding none, while Al Khor scored four and conceded two.
Last season’s finalists, Al Rayyan stunned Al Sadd in the previous round with a dominant 8-0 win.
The big win also displaced Al Sadd from the top of the table to fourth spot as Brazilian striker Lucca Borges netted a hat-trick and captain Rodrigo Tabata scored two goals to lift Al Rayyan.
Mohammed Juma, Ahmad Mohamed Al Sayyid and Aldoukali Side were the other scorers in their second round win against the youthful Al Sadd side who were without their ‘big guns’ Xavi Hernandez, Baghdad Bounedjah, Hassan Al Haydous and Akram Afif.
Al Ahli are on the third spot on the Group B standings, followed by Al Sadd. Both of them are on three points each, but the former occupy the third position thanks to the goal difference of -1 compared to Al Sadd’s -5.
Al Sailiya and Al Shahania have failed to open their accounts yet and are placed fifth and sixth respectively.
Tomorrow, in Group A, leaders Al Duhail will take on Umm Salal at the Qatar SC Stadium and Al Arabi will meet the hosts in the second fixture of the day.
Al Gharafa will welcome Al Kharaitiyat at their home ground in the third match of the day.
Al Duhail are leading the group with four points, the same as Umm Salal. Both teams have the same goal difference, but The Red Knights are ahead having scored more number of goals.
Al Kharaitiyat and Al Gharafa are third and fourth with three and two points respectively.
Qatar SC also have two points, but are placed fifth having scored less number of goals. Al Arabi have not scored in the tournament yet.
