Doha, October 1 (QNA) - Qatar's Al Rayyan kicked off their Gulf Champions League campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 5-0 victory over Yemen's Tadhamon Hadhramaut in their Group B opener on Tuesday at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
The hosts delivered a dominant performance, with Brazilian forward Roger Guedes scoring twice in the first half (16', 28') to set the tone early. The third goal came in the 49th minute when Tadhamon defender Ayoub Al Talili inadvertently turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Guedes.
Al Rayyan maintained control throughout the second half, adding a fourth goal in the 68th minute through Brazilian winger Rodrigo Moreno, who converted a cross from Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. The latter capped off the scoring with a stoppage-time strike (90+6), sealing a commanding win in front of the home crowd.
With the victory, Al Rayyan moved to the top of Group B with three points. The group also includes Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab and Oman's Al Nahda, who were scheduled to play later in the evening.
Al Rayyan are participating in the tournament after finishing fifth in last season's Qatar Stars League and are aiming for silverware under the guidance of Portuguese head coach Artur Jorge. The team looked sharp and cohesive, particularly in attack, where Guedes and Mitrovic formed a potent partnership.
The Gulf Champions League, organized by the Gulf Cup Football Federation, features two groups. Group A comprises Zakho (Iraq), Al Ain (UAE), Sitra (Bahrain), and Al Qadsia (Kuwait), while Group B includes Al Rayyan (Qatar), Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), Al Nahda (Oman), and Tadhamon Hadhramaut (Yemen).
Al Rayyan will look to build on this strong start as they aim to return to regional prominence and compete for their first Gulf title. (QNA)