Former Qatar Stars League Player of the Season Rodrigo Tabata scored a fine hat-trick as reigning champions Al Rayyan recorded a convincing 3-0 win over newly promoted Al Shahania yesterday.
Al Rayyan appeared a bit rusty but Jorge Fossati’s men still enjoyed most of the possession although it took them 30 minutes to get on the score sheet.
Tabata was fouled in the box and the Brazilian made no mistake from the spot to confidently place the ball in the top right corner to give his side the lead.
The closest Al Shahania came to scoring was in the thirty seventh minute when Algerian attacker Mohamed Tiaïba headed in the ball towards the goal from a cross. However, Rayyan keeper, Saud al-Hajiri was quick on his feet to make the save.
In the second half, Tabata grabbed his and Al Rayyan’s second of the evening on the 58th minute. The Qatari international calmly slid the ball into net after receiving an accurate cross in the box from team mate Sergio Garcia.
Al Shahania’s evening went from bad from bad to worse after captain Alvaro Mejia was given his marching orders after fouling Rayyan midfielder Ahmed Alaaeldin.
In injury time, Tabata completed his hat trick with a long distance strike, bending the ball into the net to make it three points on the night for the champions.
“It’s great to start the season with a big win against whatever opposition you are playing,” said Al Rayyan coach Fossati.
“It was important for us to get the ball rolling with a victory under your belt,” added the Uruguayan whose side won the tournament with several games to spare last season.
In the second match yesterday, Lekhwiya stamped their class with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Muaither. Four time champions Lekhwiya dominated thoroughly and gave a master class to minnows Muaither who were promoted to the QSL.
Lekhwiya’s summer signing, Yousef al-Arabi, opened the scoring on the 10th minute. Nam Tae Hee lured the defenders towards him, set up the Moroccan inside the box and al-Arabi blasted the ball into the net with his left foot.
Moez Ali doubled Lekhwiya’s lead in the 34th minute. The Qatari youngster tapped in the ball from close range getting on the end of Khalid Muftah’s low cross.
In the 66th minute Ali Afif made it 3-0 as his curving shot found the top left corner. The Qatari attacker received a pass inside the box and cut the ball to his favoured right foot before curving the ball past Basil Zidan in the Muaither goal.
Muaither’s search for a consolation goal was fruitless as Uruguayan midfielder Matias Mier’s curling shot the ball went well wide late in the second half.
Substitute Mohamed Muntari’s leaping header found the back of the net in the 78th minute to make it 4 - 0 for The Red Knights.