Riyad Mahrez delivered a standout performance to help Al Ahly Jeddah claim a crucial 3-1 victory over Al-Rayyan in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
The Algerian star found the net at the Ahmed bin Ali Al-Munawali Stadium, guiding his team to a strong first-leg result in the knockout stage.
Reflecting on the match, Mahrez acknowledged the challenge they faced but felt the outcome was justified.
“We expected that the match would be difficult because it is in the knockout stage, so we knew that it would not be easy, and we were ready for these difficulties,” Mahrez told SSC after the game.
The former Manchester City winger admitted Al Ahly had a slow start but found their rhythm as the game progressed.
“We did not start well, and we were a little surprised, but then we entered the match and we started playing in our style, and we scored the first and second goal.”
With this result, Al Ahly takes a commanding lead into next week’s second leg. But first, they shift focus to their Roshen League clash against Al-Khaleej on Friday before turning attention back to Al-Rayyan.
