Doha: Al Rayyan announced Saturday the official appointment of Swedish coach Poya Asbaghi for one season, replacing Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim. In a statement, the club stated that Asbaghi will take charge of Al Rayyan starting from the upcoming 2024-2025 season. Asbaghi was the coach of Al Shamal last season, where he managed the team to ninth place in the Qatari league with 25 points. Al Rayyan's decision to hire Asbaghi comes after the club mutually agreed to part ways with Jardim at the end of last month. Last season, Al Rayyan finished second in the Qatari league with 47 points and reached the final of the Qatar Cup, where they lost to Al Wakrah 1-0. Additionally, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals of HH the Amir Cup, losing to Qatar SC in a penalty shootout (5-4) following a 4-4 draw in regular and extra time. Source: Qatar News Agency