Al Wakrah beat Muaither 3-0 in the first match of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Al Janoub Stadium on Wednesday.

Ayoub Assal hit a brace (45+3 minute) and (72nd minute) after Mohamed Benyettou (44th minute) had fired in the first goal of the season as The Blue Wave gave Muaither, who earned promotion to the top flight as Second Division champions, a taste of what to expect in the premier division.

The first attempt at goal of the game, and indeed the season, fell to Muaither’s Aymane El Hassouni in the third minute, but his right-footed shot from outside the box off an assist by Nassim Benaissa, though close, slightly missed to the right.
The two teams had a couple of early chances, but both sides were not clinical enough to finish them off.

Just as the match seemed to be heading for a goalless first half, Al Wakrah sprang a surprise with two goals in four minutes.

Benyettou fired his side to a deserved lead in the 44th minute with a well-driven right-footed shot from the left side of the six-yard box to the centre of the goal, before Assal made it two in the third minute of injury time after his right-footed shot from the centre of the box caught goalkeeper Ivanildo Rodrigues napping with the ball sailing to the high centre of the goal. The goal was assisted by Hazem Shehata.

Muaither substituted Saif Hassan Al Mohannadi for Yousef Sabri Yahri at half-time, while Denis Alibec came in for Mohamed Salah in the 67th minute as Jose Murcia’s men desperately searched for an answer to Al Wakrah’s challenge.

Despite the changes, it was Al Wakrah who extended their lead, with Assal scoring his second of the night in the 72nd minute with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner to effectively bury Muaither’s chance of a comeback.

Muaither will be hoping to bounce back from the defeat as they play away to Al Duhail in Week 2, while Al Wakrah welcome Al Shamal.