Qatar- QSL: Tabata's spot kick earns Al Rayyan 2 1 win

12/22/2015 1:16:19 AM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Al Rayyan captain Rodrigo Tabata (left) vies for the ball possession against Abdulkareem Salem of Al Sailiya during their QSL match at Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday.

DOHA: Captain fantastic Rodrigo Tabata scored his 14th goal of the season to help Al Rayyan beat in-form Al Sailiya yesterday.

The Lions triumphed 2-1 at Gharafa Stadium to increase their QSL lead to 12 points.

That advantage will be reduced to ten however if El Jaish can beat Al Ahli today.

Al Sailiya who went into the game on a four-match winning streak remain seventh in the table.

Sergio Garcia put Rayyan in front in the 64th minute but Sailiya equalised less than two minutes later thanks to a stunning hit from Mirghani Al Zain.

The midfielder collected the ball 30 yards from goal and produced a cracking right-footed finish which goalkeeper Omar Bari could only fingertip into the top corner.

It was Tabata who had the final say though. With a draw looking likely Rayyan’s talismanic midfielder was brought down in the box.

He dusted himself down for the spot-kick and fired the ball into the centre of Gregory Gomis’s goal. The penalty was far from convincing but it will matter little to Jorge Fossati and his men.

Rayyan almost increased their lead in the 88th minute but Fahad Khalfan’s header rebounded off the post with Gomis motionless.

Both sides created chances in the first half and it was Sailiya who came closest to breaking the deadlock.

Abdulgadir Ilyas Bakur twice came close in the opening ten minutes. He almost diverted a cross which Bari did well to prevent going over the line and then hit the post with a right-footed effort after latching on to a raking cross-field pass.

As ever Tabata was at the centre of Rayyan’s creativity. He narrowly missed the target with a free-kick early on and then twice came close to opening the scoring at the end of the half; first with a header and then with a left-footed effort from a tight angle.

Rayyan were the most purposeful side after the break and deserved to go in front. However Sailiya will feel unlucky not to have grabbed a point from the game especially after Al Zain’s stunning equaliser.

In the end it was champions-elect Rayyan who again came out on top – much to the delight of coach Fossati.

In other match a brace from striker Yahia Kebe helped Al Kharaitiyat edged past Qatar SC 3-2 at Al Wakrah Stadium. Mohammed Abdulraab Alyazidi was the other scorer in win.

In an earlier game Umm Salal yesterday were held to a goalless draw by Al Khor in a round 14 match.

Both sides wasted plenty of chances to score at the game played at Al Gharafa Stadium.

By virtue of Monday’s draw Umm Salal have now 22 points from 14 matches whereas Al Khor have a tally of 13 points.

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