Doha: Qatar Stars League (QSL) Al Rayyan rallied from a goal down to register an emphatic 3-1 win over defending champions Lekhwiya in the Round 7 match here yesterday.

The come from behind win was Al Rayyan seventh win in the league and thus maintained their unbeaten record while taking their points tally to 21 points.

The win also gave coach Jorge Fossati’s team a four-point lead over second placed El Jaish.

The other two matches played yesterday ended in draws.

Al Gharafa and Umm Salal were involved in a goalless stalemate while Al Arabi and Al Sadd split points in the 2-2 draw.

At the Abdulla bin Khalifa Stadium Al Rayyan gave a stirring performance with a 3-1 comeback against Lekhwiya.

Lekhwiya had lost and drawn their previous two games and could not afford another negative result. Al Rayyan who are unbeaten so far this season were perhaps playing the defending QSL champions at their most vulnerable.

And it showed as the Red Knights were on the back foot fight from the kick off.

The first 20 minutes saw a sustained period of pressure from Rayyan as they produced some fast attacking forays but Lekhwiya were up to the challenge and soaked up the pressure.

Against the run of play Msakni chased down a Vladimir Weiss through-ball and was fouled in the process by Otavio the Tunisian picked himself up and took the penalty kick which he missed but luckily for him the rebound fell kindly and he slotted home the opener (44’).

After the restart Lekhwiya’s Nam had great chance to put his side in front but Omar Barry pulled out a great reaction save at close range to keep his side in it.

The match became more and more up open as both sides went for broke before half time. Rayyan’s Mohammed Juma’s shot looked goal-bound but a terrific save from Claude Amine saw the ball strike the bar.

In the second half Rayyan again continued to pressure and the frantic pace from the first half was once again evident.

However Lekhwiya were proving to be more effective as they soaked up Rayyan’s attacks and countered with devastating pace.

Garcia struck the near post with a glancing header from a set piece the resulting clearance was sloppy and somehow the ball fell to Rayyan’s Paraguayan midfielder Caceres who chipped the ball over the keeper to make it 1-1.

Just when it looked like it was going to end honours even Sabastian Soria made a lung bursting run down the left before sending a deep cross over Lekwhiya’s defence.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia came into the box unmarked and struck a sweet volley to send the Rayyan fans into raptures (82’).

In the 87th minute Rayyan made it a comeback to remember when they won a freekick after Weiss was deemed to fouled Abdlmotaal. Korean midfielder - Koh sent in a curling effort which eluded everyone and came off the post none other than Soria was there to seal the win for his side.

In one of the two draws yesterday both Al Arabi and Al Sadd were keen to get full points.

The Wolves started with a Xavi freekick which was lofted into the box and left-back Abdul Karim Hassan rose highest to put the Wolves into the lead (13’).

But it didn’t take long for Arabi to respond; Rod Fanni broke down the right and sent in a fizzing low cross. Arabi striker Paulinho reacted quickest with a beautiful half volley to equalize for the Reds (13’).

In the second half the game opened up and Arabi began to wrestle back possession. No easy feat against one of the best passing sides in the league.

However just when it looked as though Arabi might be able to get a sniff at goal their key man Boualem Khoukhi was shown a straight red for a rash challenge on Sadd striker Muriqui in the middle of the park.

Although this changed the complexion of the game Sadd found it hard to make the one man advantage count. In fact it was Arabi who still managed to have the more dangerous chances as they played on the counter attack.

Arabi then shocked everyone when they went into the lead. Right back Ali Jassemi sent a searching ball up top to the tireless Paulinho who did well to shake off Sadd defender Kasola before finishing with his weaker left foot for his second of the match (61).

New signing Mosaab could have wrapped things up for Arabi when a beautiful outside-of-the-foot delivery by Ashkan Mohammed found the left back unmarked but he lacked composure when it counted most snatching his shot across the face of goal (71’).

Sadd then came back when Ashkan who up till then had played well for the Reds was deemed to have fouled Xavi in the box.

Muriqui elected to take the spot kick and waited for the keeper to make the first move before slotting home the equaliser.

Sadd were now finally making the extra man count as they went on wave after wave of attack.

Arabi showed plenty of spirit but tired late on and managed to hold out for the point.

At the Thani bin Jassim Stadium Al Gharafa has only themselves to blame after their match ended goalless against Umm Salal.

Despite the big names in their attacking line-up which included last season’s top scorer Alain Dioko the home side couldn’t convert their numerous chances.

By the end of the match Gharafa ended up with 10 shots out of which six shots were on target but had nothing to show for it.

Umm Salal on the other hand could muster only four shots on goal out of which only one was on target and they will have to thank their goalkeeper Baba Malik for coming away with one point after some desperate defending by the men in black.

Right from the start in the fourth minute Dioko could have given his side the lead but his shot was blocked by the Salal’s keeper.

Then in the 19th minute it was the turn of Salal’s Ismael Mahmoud to be denied by the keeper. Mahmoud’s chance was a big one and could have completely changed the complexion of the game had his effort gone in.

After that attempt on goal however it was all Gharafa as they had two more chances in the first half. The first one fell for Masoud Shojaei in the 32nd minute but his shot was punched away by Salal keeper Malik.

The midfielder Abdulaziz Abdulla also had his shot caught by Malik.

In the second half a similar scenario unfolded. In the 60th minute Shojaei fired in another shot but a diving punch by Malik kept his team in it.

The Peninsula