Kuwait City: Qatar’s Al Rayyan capped an exciting first day of the AFC Club Futsal Championship with a highly entertaining 5-3 win over hosts Yarmouk SC.
Shamari Radi scored a brace for the winners to join Sanaye Giti Pasand at the top of Group A table.
Also registering their names in the scoresheet for Al Rayyan were Antonio Vadillo, Akiri Minamoto and Ali Al Sabah.
Thiago Gabriel tried to rescue Yarmouk with two beautifully taken goals but that was not enough for Yarmouk. Kuwait international Hamad Alawadhi also scored for Yarmouk.
Gabriel brought local supports to their feet with a pile driver as early as in the first minute of the match. Despite Yarmouk’s early effort to stamp their authority, Al Rayyan just took another four minutes to level the match when Radi scored off a cross from Mossein Amro.
Yarmouk took the lead again in the 12th minute from Alwadhi’s goal but again the lead just lasted for three minutes as Radi fired his second to level it 2-2 in the 14th minute.
“Full credit to Al Rayyan for playing superb futsal today, they were in full control of the match,” young Yarmouk coach Eder De Souza told reporters.
“We were also very good with a lion's share of possession and good chances to score but our finishing was appalling. We must convert our chances in upcoming matches.
“I don’t believe that losing the first match means you are out of the competition, we have chances to rectify the shortcomings that we saw today in the next two matches,” he added.
Al Rayyan took the lead in the match for the first time just a minute after Radi’s second and this time the scorer was Brazilian Vadillo, who had Al Sabah to thank for setting up perhaps the easiest opportunity to score a goal in an international competition.
“Our players stuck to the team talk and we were rewarded with three points,” Al Rayyan’s Spanish tactician Juan Antonio said.
“We knew this Yarmouk side could be dangerous and the local crowd will spur them so one of my team talks was about the atmosphere in the stadium and my players came out unscathed from the hostile crowd.
“Both the sides deserve credit for the way they approached the match, it was a high tempo match with both the sides scoring loads of goal,” he added.
Despite playing much of the second half in their half, Al Rayyan were more clinical on counter-attacks in the second half with Japanese export Minamoto and Al Sabah scoring further goals against the run of play.
Playing as a power player, Gabriel tried his best by reducing the deficit in the 37th minute but a long range effort at the empty post in the last action of the match from Al Sabah secured a 5-3 win for Al Rayyan.
Monday’s Matches
Ardus vs All Sports
GH Bank vs Nagoya Oceans
Al Rayyan vs Sanaye Giti Pasand
Thai Son Nam vs Yarmouk
courtesy: the afc