Al-Rayyan To Clash With Shabab Al-Ahli Tomorrow In Qatar-UAE Super Cup

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Al Rayyan will face Shabab Al Ahli at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium tomorrow, Thursday, in the Challenge Shield as part of the second edition of Qatar-UAE Super Cup.
The Qatar-UAE Super Cup was inaugurated last season as a joint tournament between Qatar and United Arab Emirates. The first edition featured four teams, with Shabab Al Ahli claiming the Super Shield title by defeating Al Duhail 2-1 at Rashid Stadium in Dubai, while Al Arabi won the Super Cup by beating Sharjah 1-0 at Al Thumama Stadium.
The Qatar-UAE Super Cup matches garner significant attention from the football associations in both countries. They are considered one of the strategic initiatives aimed at developing sport in both nations by offering high-quality competitive football featuring eight top-tier teams with numerous Arab and international football stars. The tournament also contributes to promoting sports tourism.
The second edition of Qatar-UAE Super Cup will take place over four consecutive days, starting tomorrow when Al Rayyan faces Shabab Al Ahli at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium. On Friday, Al Nasr will meet Qatar SC at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. On Saturday, Al Sadd will take on Al Wasl at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, while Al Wahda will face Al Wakrah on Sunday at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Al Rayyan and Shabab Al Ahli will compete for the Challenge Shield, having both secured second place in their respective leagues last season (20232024).
Al Rayyan enters the match with high morale following a strong start in the second phase of QNB Stars League, defeating Umm Salal 6-2 last Friday in the 12th round. This victory propelled Al Rayyan to fifth place in the league standings with 16 points. The team has scored 26 goals in the league but conceded 37.
In the AFC Champions League Elite round, Al Rayyan is currently seventh in West Zone standings with five points from six matches. Their points came from a win against Uzbekistans Pakhtakor (1-0) and draws with Irans Persepolis and UAEs Al Wasl (1-1 in each match).
Al Rayyan recently appointed Portuguese coach Artur Jorge, who previously guided Brazils Botafogo to a Copa Libertadores title. Jorge led the team to a promising start with the win over Umm Salal in his first match.
Al Rayyan, an eight-time Qatar League champion, hopes to maintain positive momentum following their stellar performance against Umm Salal. The team enters tomorrows game with a full squad and is well-prepared. Key players include Brazilian striker Roger Guedes, the team's top scorer with 10 goals, Moroccan star Achraf Bencharki, who shone in the previous match, Spanish defender David Garcia, and Belgian midfielder Julian de Sart.
On the other hand, Shabab Al Ahli seeks to claim the title following significant improvements this season. The team currently occupies second place in UAE Pro League with 27 points, trailing leaders Sharjah by two points.
Shabab Al Ahli recently defeated Al Ain 1-0 in the league, with Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun scoring the winning goal. Azmoun is among the standout players for the team this season.
The team boasts a strong offensive lineup, scoring 27 goals and conceding only 10 in 11 matches. Notably, Shabab Al Ahli remains unbeaten in the UAE Pro League this season.
In the AFC Champions League 2, Shabab Al Ahli demonstrated exceptional performance, advancing to the Round of 16 as the top team in Group D, which included Al Hussein SC Irbid (Jordan), Kuwait SC, and Nasaf Qarshi (Uzbekistan), accumulating 13 points.
Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa leads Shabab Al Ahli and aims for his second title with the team this season, having previously won the UAE Super Cup in December after defeating Al Wasl in a penalty shootout (4-1) following a 2-2 draw in regular and extra time. (QNA)

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