Saudi players score 24% of goals in local pro league this season

Firas Al-Buraikan of Al-Fateh is the top scoring local player in the SPL this season with 11 goals. (Twitter: @FatehClub)
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Updated 05 June 2022
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Saudi players score 24% of goals in local pro league this season

  • Strikes from homegrown talent significantly down from last year, with Brazilian and Moroccan players coming second and third

With two rounds of the domestic league season left, Saudi Arabian players have collectively scored more goals than other nationalities, contributing 148 out of the 602 strikes registered, or 24 percent.

The total number of goals by Saudis, however, is significantly down on the 228 scored last season.

Leading the Saudi contingent is Firas Al-Buraikan of Al-Fateh with 11 goals, followed by Al-Hilal’s Salem Al-Dawsari with seven, and Al-Shabab’s Hattan Bahebri with six.

The SPL’s 38 Brazilian players come next having recorded 98 goals, with Al-Nassr’s Talisca and Al-Ittihad’s Romarinho grabbing 18 goals each.

The 14 Moroccan footballers plying their trade in the Kingdom are third with 52 goals, most notably from Abderrazak Hamdallah of Al-Ittihad, who has scored 14.

In fourth place come the eight Argentinian players with 36 goals, with Pity Martinez, the Al-Nassr midfielder, leading the way with seven goals.

Cameroon’s five players came in at fifth with 27 goals, led by 17 scored by Leandre Tawamba of Al-Taawoun.


Lackluster Liverpool FC snatch late win at Forest

Updated 22 February 2026
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Lackluster Liverpool FC snatch late win at Forest

  • The Reds stay in 6th place but are tied on points with Chelsea and Man Utd

LIVERPOOL: After having an 89th-minute goal disallowed following a VAR check, the Argentina midfielder scored again in the seventh minute of stoppage time — and this time it survived a video review — to earn Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.

The dramatic end at the City Ground centered completely on Mac Allister, who thought he’d scored without knowing anything about it after turning his back on a clearance by Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina.

The ball rebounded off Mac Allister and into the net, but the VAR spotted it had struck his arm and the goal was scrubbed out.

However, he was on hand off virtually the last kick of the game when Virgil van Dijk’s header was spilled by Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. Barely six meters out, Mac Allister could hardly miss as he sidefooted the ball into the net.

There was a VAR check to see if Van Dijk was offside but the goal was given.

Liverpool stayed in sixth place but was tied on points with fourth-place Chelsea and fifth-place Manchester United, whose game in hand is at Everton on Monday.

Meanwhile, Sunderland lost its home comforts on Sunday. It wasn’t long ago that Sunderland were the only Premier League team with an unbeaten home record. Now, the Black Cats have lost two straight at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland was defeated 3-1 by Fulham, which had two goals from Mexico striker Raul Jimenez — one of which was from the penalty spot.

Ten days ago, Sunderland lost 1-0 to Liverpool for its first home defeat of the season.

Also on Sunday, Palace won as doubts swirl around Oliver Glasner’s future.

Glasner’s team dug out a 1-0 win over last-place Wolverhampton thanks to a last-minute goal.

Evann Guessand prodded home a far-post finish after coming on as a substitute.

Ahead of the game, Glasner, who led Palace to FA Cup glory last season, was non-committal about whether he would be staying at the club until the end of the season. He has already said he’ll be leaving in the summer.

Wolves stayed 17 points off safety.