PANJIM (India): India’s FC Goa held Qatar’s Al Rayyan goalless in AFC Champions League Group E match at the here on Wednesday.
But the draw means Goa are third in the Group E standings level with Al Rayyan and are two points behind Iran’s Persepolis FC, who defeated Al Wahda of UAE 1-0.
Al Rayyan started brightly and had their first look at goal on six minutes with captain Yacine Brahimi pulling his effort wide from outside the area.
Two minutes later, FC Goa goalkeeper Dheraj Singh came off his line to block Naif Al Hadhrami’s close-range effort with the latter then feeding Yohan Boli, who made a run inside the box before firing wide.
Al Rayyan dominated proceedings with Boli in the thick of action once again just after the half-hour mark but his effort from outside the area left much to be desired.
FC Goa finally got their shooting boots on five minutes before the interval when Alexander Romario’s attempt from distance was parried away by Al Rayyan custodian Fahad Younis for a corner.
The hosts then had to endure some tense moments in the closing stages of the half when Dheraj Singh was called into action once again to save Hadhrami’s angled long-range effort before Abdelaziz Hatim’s drive from distance sailed over the crossbar.
The Indian club next face Al Wahda on Saturday while Al Rayyan meet last year’s AFC Champions League runners-up Persepolis.
(Source: AFC)
