Al Rayyan held Al Wasl of the UAE to a 1-1 draw in the sixth round (West Zone) of the 2024-2025 season AFC Champions League Elite at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai on Monday.

The Qatari side were gifted an own goal by Al Wasl’s Salem Awad Al Azeezi in the 85th minute after substitute Caio Canedo had broken the deadlock for the hosts in the 77th minute to ensure that Al Wasl missed an opportunity to book their knockout stage berth.

The result takes Al Wasl up to 11 points with Al Rayyan remained in the hunt on five.

Al Wasl initiated the match with Nicolas Gimenez testing the handling skills of Paulo Vitor just four minutes in, delivering a curling low shot from outside the penalty area that the Al Rayyan goalkeeper managed to secure effectively.

The home team believed they had taken the lead in the 24th minute when Fabio Lima headed in a free-kick from Gimenez. However, the goal was disallowed following a VAR review, as the UAE international was deemed to have pushed Achraf Bencharki during the buildup.

In the 31st minute, Al Rayyan owed a debt of gratitude to Vitor, who executed a remarkable reflex save to deny Haris Seferovic’s close-range flick after a low cross from Gimenez, as Al Wasl continued to apply pressure.

Vitor was again pivotal for the Qatari side during first-half stoppage time, diving to his left to deflect Gimenez’s shot, with Seferovic subsequently sending the rebound over the crossbar.

The second half presented a more evenly matched contest, with Al Rayyan managing to limit Al Wasl's opportunities and providing better protection for Vitor, although Khaled Al Senani, the home goalkeeper, remained relatively untroubled.

While not as frequently as in the first half, Al Wasl continued to challenge Vitor, with both Gimenez and substitute Canedo forcing the 37-year-old keeper into action.

Al Wasl's persistent efforts were finally rewarded in the 77th minute when Jonatas Santos made a powerful run down the right flank, setting up Canedo to score from the center of the box, thus giving the home side the advantage.

In response, a determined Al Rayyan increased their intensity, and their efforts bore fruit in the 85th minute when Bencharki’s cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by Al Azeezi.