Al Rayyan's Yacine Brahimi (centre) vies for the ball with Al Wakrah players during yesterday's match.
Doha: Ivorian Yohan Boli was the star of the day for Al Rayyan who defeated Al Wakrah while Al Arabi clinched their maiden win of the season as the fourth round of QNB Stars League concluded yesterday.
At Al Gharafa Stadium, both Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah were involving in a tough battle right from the kick off with both teams being missing out several chances to score. Following a goalless first half, the eight-time champions, Al Rayyan started to apply more pressure on their opponents and the Ivorian forward succeeded in the 49th minute with a powerful strike to beat Al Wakrah goalkeeper Saud Al Khater from the right side of the penalty area.
The victory raised Al Rayyan's points total to seven, while Al Wakrah remained six points.
Earlier, Al Arabi defeated Umm Salal 2-1 at the Al Arabi Stadium with a last-gasp goal by Mehrdad Mohammadi (90+4).
Abdulaziz Al Ansari (45+1) had earlier put Al Arabi on top before Abdennour Belhocini pulled one back for Umm Salal in the 68th minute through a penalty.
After being held 2-2 by Al Khor in Week 1, Al Arabi had lost 0-2 to Al Ahli and 1-2 to Al Gharafa.
The win lifted their points tally to four. Umm Salal have only the point that they earned from their goalless draw with Al Khor in Week 2. The Orange Fortress had lost 0-3 to Al Duhail in their opener and then 0-2 to Al Wakrah in Week 3.
Al Ansari’s goal, a header, resulted from Mehrdad’s free-kick.
Al Arabi continued their attacking ways in the second session, but Umm Salal managed to draw level through Belhocini’s penalty awarded when Al Arabi’s Khalaf Saad ‘handled the ball’ on the edge of the penalty box.
When the game headed towards a draw came a brilliantly-executed bicycle kick by Mehrdad that beat Umm Salal goalkeeper Baba Malick hands down after Abdullah Al Marafi crossed the ball from the right.
