Al Wahda 5 Al Rayyan 1
ABU DHABI // Al Wahda manager Javier Aguirre said his team’s chances to stay in the Asian Champions League race improved “a little” after their thumping 5-1 win over Al Rayyan of Qatar last night.
Wahda rallied from a goal down to score twice in the first half and add three more in the second period for their first win in five games in the continental championship at the Al Nahyan Stadium.
“It was a good result for us and provides us with a little chance to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition,” Aguirre said. “We were a bit unlucky in the previous games but this is the level we have always played in the ACL.”
Wahda lost 2-1 to Rayyan in the first leg, fell to Persepolis of Iran after conceding two goals in the last 10 minutes (3-2), drew 2-2 against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the first leg and then beaten in the return leg 1-0.
“I don’t believe in luck but the reality is we could have at least a win and a draw in the previous games. Now we have an opportunity if we win the next game against Persepolis and if Hilal also win over Rayyan,” Aguirre said.
“The Group D is now wide open with all four teams with a chance to qualify for the knockout round. It’s a difficult game for us against Persepolis away but we’ll try our best to win.”
Rayyan got off to a good start when Sergio Garcia collected a pass from Rodrigo Tabata and sent a left-footed shot from 25 yards that bounced in front of Wahda goalkeeper Rashed Ali, hit the inside post and went in for the visitors to take the lead on 21 minutes.
Wahda charged back with 10 minutes in the half.
First Jorge Valdivia set up Mohammed Al Akberi with a one-on-one, which the young Wahda forward neatly put it away past the Rayyan goalkeeper Oumar Barry on 33 minutes.
Valdivia later pulled one back for Balazs Dzsudzsak to blast it from the top of the box for Wahda to take the lead two minutes before half time.
The home side continued to step up the pressure in the second half with Sultan Salem, Sebastian Tagliabue and substitute Khalif Ibrahim on target.
“It’s not exactly the result we expected,” Rayyan manager Michael Laudrup said.
“We started very well in the first 30 minutes and scored. Then we had 10 minutes of that half where Wahda scored twice.
“We started well in the second half and had an opportunity to level the scores but that didn’t happen. Wahda scored three more and took the game away.”
Al Akberi later turned the provider with a dipping free kick for Sultan to volley it from the front of the goalmouth seven minutes into the second half.
Tagliabue was later off target after rounding off Barry on a cross from Al Akberi, but the Argentine made up for it by finding the net from inside the area before Ibrahim completed the rout three minutes from time.
Wahda remain rooted to the bottom on four points but a scoreless result between Hilal and Persepolis last night meant the Saudi Arabian side still head the group on nine points with Rayyan at seven and Persepolis on six.
apassela@thenational.ae
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