(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fawad Hussain |The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd head coach Wesam Rizik believes defending champions Al Duhail will be a force to be reckoned with despite their struggles as the two Qatar giants square off in the Expo Stars League (ESL) tonight.
The Wolves will visit the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, hoping to retain their three-point lead over Al Gharafa (40 points) with three more matches remaining after tonight's match in the top flight.
Al Duhail, who won the treble last season, failed to emulate their performance and went out of the title race - placed sixth on the table with 22 points.
But Rizik believes the Red Knights are still dangerous, saying his ranks are ready to give their best eyeing win in the important match.
“Al Duhail are currently in a position that they do not deserve and the results do not reflect their strength,” the Al Sadd coach told a pre-match press conference yesterday.
“The Al Sadd vs Al Duhail matches always witness strong competition between the players. These games are always played amid great competition between the two teams. Every remaining match will be decisive for us. We will play the match as if it is a final and there is no substitute for winning,” he added.
While Al Sadd are coming back to action from a 2-1 win over Al Markhiya, Al Duhail are hoping to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat against Al Rayyan. Al Sadd had won 3-1 when the two sides met in the first leg.
Al Duhail coach Christophe Galtier is seeking a positive result against the league leaders, hoping to return to winning form ahead of the Super Cup game against UAE's Shabab Al Ahly on April 13, and the prestigious Amir Cup.
“We have begun our preparations for the important match, which is a match against a big team that has excellent players. We must be fully prepared to achieve a positive result,” said Galtier.
Al Sadd coach Wesam Rizik.
“We have a few matches left in the league and our goal is to win them. The Qatar-UAE Super Shield match also awaits us and it would be good for us to win it. After that, there is Amir Cup, which is of great importance for all clubs. After we lost the opportunity to compete for the league title, we must focus on performance to win the Amir Cup,” he added.
In other game tonight, Al Wakrah will take on Al Arabi at Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium. Al Wakrah (37 points) and Al Rayyan (35 points), who will meet Muaither on Sunday, are the other title contenders.
Al Wakrah coach Jose Murcia said the Blue Waves will continue to fight for the title, expecting a tough challenge from reigning Amir Cup champions.
“Our competitor in the next match is a big club and a strong team, and it is certainly not the ideal season for them, but that does not prevent us from emphasising that they are one of the strongest teams in the league and we respect this team as we respect all our competitors,” he said.
“We must show our best in the last four matches, because all possibilities are present in the final stages and the goal is very close to all teams. The competition has become stronger between the four teams in the top four and we are focusing first on the next match,” said Murcia.
Al Arabi coach Younes Ali said:“Al Wakrah are a strong team with a good defensive organisation that enabled them to achieve positive results. Victory requires focus and discipline and I hope luck will be on their side in this match to win and get the three points.”
Al Arabi are fifth in the standings with 23 points after 18 games.
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