The clash between Al Rayyan vs Umm Salal in Week 21 on Saturday, 17th March, assumes more significance for the latter, for they are keen to displace Al Gharafa from the fourth position in QNB Stars League standings. The kick-off is at 18:05 at the Qatar SC Stadium.

Al Rayyan have been playing their home matches at the Al Sadd Stadium, but this game is scheduled at the Qatar SC Stadium as all matches in Weeks 21 and 22 will kick off simultaneously on same date in order to ensure equal advantage for all teams.

Al Rayyan go into the game having been assured of the third place, after new champions Al Duhail and Al Sadd. The Lions, who lost to Al Arabi 1-3 last week, have 39 points as against Umm Salal, who beat Al Sadd 2-1 and are on 31 points.   

Umm Salal are having an impressive run, while Al Rayyan’s form slumped slightly of late.

Al Rayyan had also lost big-time to Al Gharafa in Week 19. Even though it is a foregone conclusion that they would finish third, Michael Laudrup’s men will be keen to collect as many points as possible from the remaining two matches.

Al Rayyan have the likes of Moroccan striker Abderrazaq Hamdallah, who is third in the list of top scorers with 17 goals after Al Duhail’s Youssef El Arabi (24) and Youssef Msakni (23).

Then, there are playmaker Rodrigo Tabata on 12 goals and spearhead Sebastian Soria on 10 goals. They also have players of calibre such as Mohsine Moutaouli, Koh Myong-Jin, Ahmad Abdelmaksoud, Daniel Goumou, Mohamed Alaaeldin, Mohamed Juma and Ahmed Yasser.

On the other hand, Umm Salal, coached by former Moroccan international Talal El Karkouri who replaced Egyptian Mahmoud Jaber in the second phase, have Syrian Mahmoud Mawas, Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbo, Ismail Mahmoud, Tunisian attacking midfielder Oussama Darragi, Mohammed El Sayed and Juad Ahnash in their ranks.

The first-phase match had ended in a 1-1 draw.