Al Rayyan will host Al Wakrah in Week 16 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The kick-off is at 8pm.
The two teams enter the contest with great ambitions in order to achieve victory and obtain the three points given their ongoing struggle between them for the third spot in the rankings.
Each team has 28 points, but Al Rayyan are placed third and Al Wakrah (fourth) - after losing to Al Markhiya in the last round. Al Rayyan have so far logged nine wins, one draw and four losses, while Al Wakrah have eight wins, four draws and two losses.
Certainly, a victory for one of the two teams will take their tally to 31 points and if Al Gharafa (in second place with 30 points) happen to falter in their clash against Al Sadd, the winner of Al Rayyan vs Al Wakrah game would move into the second place and take a step forward to the top.
Al Rayyan are counting on their high morale, following the success against Al Arabi where Roger Guedes scored a hat-trick for them. He continues to be one of the most prominent players in the team’s ranks.
Al Rayyan’s Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim hopes that his team will succeed in registering their fourth win in a row. The team has bounced back strongly after the loss to Al Sadd in the 11th round.
The Lions will, however, miss Ahmed Al Menhali as he was sent off during their previous match against Al Arabi.
Meanwhile, Al Wakrah’s Spanish coach Jose Murcia hopes that his team will succeed in compensating for their loss to Al Markhiya and correct the situation in time to continue competing for the title, displaying wonderful football as they did against Al Sadd.
The Blue Wave have many attacking players led by Angolan Jacinto Dala, Algerian Mohamed Benyettou, with Ayoub Assal in the line behind them.
The match will surely produce a lot of excitement and some dazzling display, with both teams chasing the goal of victory.