Al-Rayyan Sports Club edged a seven-goal classic against Jordanian visitors Al Faisaly, winning 4-3 in their AFC Champions League Two group-stage clash at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. In a match that swung one way and then the other, the Qatari side twice surrendered a lead before finding the decisive goal in the closing minutes to open their continental campaign with three points.

The result gives Al-Rayyan an early foothold in the West Asia standings and hands Al Faisaly a painful away defeat in a fixture they twice dragged back to parity. Seven goals, four lead changes and a late winner made it one of the most entertaining scorelines of the opening matchday.

Match Overview

Al-Rayyan began with the intent of a home side determined to make the night count, pressing high and forcing Al Faisaly into hurried clearances. The hosts took the lead inside ten minutes and looked comfortable for long spells of the first half, only for the visitors to answer with the kind of direct, counter-attacking football that has long been their trademark in Asian competition.

Every time Al-Rayyan appeared to have taken control, Al Faisaly found a response. The second half turned into a genuine end-to-end contest, with both benches emptied and both defences stretched repeatedly. In the end, the difference was the quality of the home side's finishing in the final third and their ability to keep pushing forward even after conceding an equaliser for the third time.

Key Moments

• 9' — Al-Rayyan 1-0: Ismail Haddad latches on to a cut-back from the right and sweeps the ball in at the near post to settle home nerves early.
• 24' — Al-Rayyan 1-1: Al Faisaly respond through Omar Barghouthi, who times his run perfectly to convert a low cross from the left.
• 38' — Al-Rayyan 2-1: Karim Boualem drives at the back line and curls a left-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
• 52' — Al-Rayyan 2-2: Anas Al-Jaber levels again, arriving late at the far post to head home a deep delivery.
• 63' — Al-Rayyan 3-2: Youssef Al-Marreh restores the lead with a composed finish after a quick turnover in midfield.
• 71' — Al-Rayyan 3-3: Rami Saleh converts from the penalty spot after a foul inside the area.
• 86' — Al-Rayyan 4-3: Diego Sanabria wins it, reacting fastest to a loose ball in the box and stabbing it past the goalkeeper.

Tactical Story

Al-Rayyan set up with a high line and committed full-backs, a decision that produced plenty of attacking width but also left space behind for Al Faisaly's runners. The Jordanians were happy to sit slightly deeper, absorb pressure and break at speed, and it worked for long stretches — three times they found the net from transitions or set-piece situations.

The hosts' answer was to keep the tempo high and overload the wide areas, and their fourth goal came precisely from that persistence: a sustained spell of pressure that pinballed around the area before Sanabria reacted first. Al Faisaly will point to the chances they created on the counter, but they could not hold the ball long enough in the final ten minutes to protect the point.

Standout Performers

Ismail Haddad's early goal set the tone and his movement kept the Al Faisaly centre-backs uneasy all night. Boualem's drive from midfield gave Al-Rayyan a second gear whenever the game threatened to drift, while Sanabria's late winner underlined the value of a striker who stays switched on in a crowded penalty area.

For Al Faisaly, Barghouthi and Al-Jaber both took their goals well and Saleh's penalty was nerveless. The visitors' goalkeeper made two important saves in the first half, and without them the margin could have been wider much earlier.

What It Means in the Standings

The three points put Al-Rayyan in a strong early position in the AFC Champions League Two group table, with a positive goal difference and the psychological lift of a win in their opening matchday. Al Faisaly, despite the defeat, leave with a useful attacking performance and the knowledge that their counter-attacking game troubled a good side for 90 minutes. In a tight group format where home wins are essential, the Qataris have banked the most valuable currency of all.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Competition: AFC Champions League Two, group stage
• Result: Al-Rayyan Sports Club 4-3 Al Faisaly
• Total goals: 7 — the highest-scoring match of the round
• Lead changes: Al-Rayyan led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before sealing it at 4-3
• Decisive goal: Diego Sanabria, 86th minute