Football

Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail SC suffered their first defeat in the Gulf Club Champions League after Saudi Arabia’s Neom handed them a 3-0 loss in a Group A match at Al-Watani Club Stadium in Tabuk yesterday. Saeed Benrahma scored twice, finding the net in the fourth and 87th minutes, while Abdulmalik Al-Ayiri added another goal in the 11th minute as Neom secured a convincing victory. The result lifted Neom to six points, level with Al Duhail, who had opened their campaign with successive victories over Oman’s Al Shabab and Yemen’s Shaab Hadramout. Al Duhail, coached by Djamel Belmadi, struggled to produce their usual performance as Neom took control of the contest. Benrahma gave the Saudi side an early lead in the fourth minute before Al-Ayiri doubled their advantage seven minutes later, leaving Al Duhail with an uphill task. The Qatari side failed to find a response as Neom maintained their control, with Benrahma completing his brace three minutes from time to seal the victory.

Qatar Sport

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.

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Football Association (QFA) Executive Committee approved the appointment of Sheikh Ali bin Saud Al-Thanias a new member following an internal nomination at its meeting yesterday. The meeting, chaired by QFA PresidentH E Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, also approved the resignation of Khaled Abdulla Al Sulaiti, thanking him for his contributions and efforts during his tenure and wishing him success in his future endeavours. Sheikh Ali’s appointment fills the vacant position for the remainder of the current committee term, which runs until 2027.