ACL: Win is the only option for Al Rayyan

Qatari heavyweights Al Rayyan and United Arab Emirates’ Al Wahda will both be searching for their first win as they try to squeeze into the next stage when they meet in Group E of the 2021 AFC Champions League (ACL) at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa today.

Both teams, however, have not enjoyed the best of starts to their 2021 campaign and with just a point to show after two matches, neither can afford anything less than a win today. Al Wahda will fancy their chances, having defeated Al Rayyan in four out of their five previous meetings in ACL, but the Laurent Blanccoached team has promised an improved performance against Al Wahda. “We definitely played poorly in the second half against Persepolis and now we have to improve against Al Wahda,” said Blanc, whose side is in a desperate position. “Tomorrow is another game and I hope my team play with intensity because we need to win, it is important to us and we’re ready to do that,” Blanc said yesterday.