Al-Rayyan beat Al-Faisaly 4-3 in the opening Group Stage match of the AFC Cup at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday evening. The hosts moved to the top of the table with three points, while the visitors started their campaign with nothing after the defeat.
The match opened with Al-Rayyan pressing high, and their dominance showed in possession. They held 64 per cent of the ball, moving it around the final third with 127 passes into attack. Al-Faisaly stayed compact, making 28 interceptions and 14 tackles to disrupt the rhythm.
Al-Rayyan created more chances, with five big opportunities compared to three for the visitors. They registered 14 shots, six on target, though their accuracy was just 38 per cent. Al-Faisaly were sharper when they struck, hitting seven shots on target from ten attempts.
The game had its moments. Al-Rayyan committed 14 fouls to the visitors' nine, and each side received one yellow card. Neither manager saw a red card, and the match ended with both teams still on the pitch.
The result puts Al-Rayyan first in the group with one win from one game. Al-Faisaly sit fourth after their opening loss, though there is more to come in the stage.