Al Rayyan coach Artur Jorge gives instructions to players during a training session as his team prepares for their upcoming clash against Al Duhail.
Doha, Qatar: Artur Jorge took on a bold challenge when he accepted the role of head coach of Al Rayyan – to propel the team into a top-three finish in the Ooredoo Stars League (OSL).
The Portuguese coach’s tenure has been a mixture of highs and lows so far – a solid victory over Umm Salal in the league followed by a setback against Shabab Al Ahli in the Qatar-UAE Super Cup Challenge Shield at home.
However, a resounding 6-2 win over Umm Salal has kept Jorge’s ambitions alive, as Al Rayyan surged up three spots to fifth place in the OSL standings.
Now, as the season progresses, Jorge faces arguably his toughest test yet.
Al Rayyan will take on league leaders Al Duhail, who have accumulated 28 points at the top of the table.
Al Rayyan, with 16 points, must overcome an eight-point gap to fourth-placed Al Gharafa, with heavyweights Al Sadd and Al Ahli, both on 25 points, rounding out the top three.
With 10 matches still to play, Al Rayyan need a decisive result in Thursday’s highly anticipated clash against Christophe Galtier’s formidable Al Duhail at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
A strong performance is crucial if Jorge’s side is to close the gap with the top contenders.
Al Duhail, who comfortably defeated Al Rayyan 4-0 in the first leg, are likely to put up a strong fight, knowing that every point counts in the battle for supremacy.
However, Jorge remains optimistic, having recently stated that his “team is improving after each match.”
Meanwhile, the 13th round of the OSL kicks off tomorrow, with Al Shahania (11 points) hoping to climb from 10th place with a win over bottom-placed Al Khor (7 points).
Al Gharafa will then face title rivals Al Ahli in a high-stakes match at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium. Thursday’s other fixture will see Al Sadd face Qatar SC – who are struggling in 11th place with just 10 points – at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
On Friday, eighth-placed Umm Salal (14 points) will take on Al Shamal (16 points) at Al Khor Stadium, while Al Wakrah will meet Al Arabi at Stadium 974.
The Blue Wave sit in seventh place with 14 points, just ahead of ninth-placed Al Arabi.
