AL-HASA: Matchday 17 of the Saudi Pro League kicked off in thrilling fashion, with 12 goals scored across two matches. Al-Fateh fell to a 5-2 defeat against Al-Kholood in front of more than 7,000 fans, while Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Khaleej 4-1 in the Ivan Toney show. The third game of the day, by contrast, ended goalless as Al-Shabab and Al-Najma played out a stalemate.
The energy at the Al-Fateh Stadium was high from the outset. Fresh off a five-game winning streak, the hosts had climbed the table after flirting with the relegation places earlier in the season. Sitting in ninth and pushing for the top six, a meeting with an out-of-form Al-Kholood seemed like an ideal place to continue their rise.
Al-Kholood, however, started in a manner entirely unexpected by José Manuel Gomes’ side. Two goals in quick fashion saw the visitors race into a 2-0 lead within the opening 20 minutes. Through balls proved Al-Fateh’s kryptonite, as Ramiro Enrique struck past Fernando Pacheco in the 12th minute before Muhammad Sawan followed up in with a tight-angle finish seven minutes later.
Al-Fateh’s threat largely came from set-pieces, with a Mourad Batna free-kick palmed over the bar by Juan Cozzani their clearest opening. Zaydou Youssouf then took matters into his own hands, driving forward from deep and firing home from distance in first-half stoppage time to pull one back. He nearly levelled moments later from a similar position, only for Cozzani to deny him this time.
The second half started with Al-Fateh on the front foot, but Al-Kholood struck against the run of play in the 55th minute after Hattan Bahebri capitalised on a reboud that came back off the post.
The goal briefly reignited the hosts. Al-Fateh pulled one back immediately with a goal from a corner in the 57th minute and were handed a golden opportunity to equalise 10 minutes later when Batna was brought down inside the box.
Batna’s penalty, however, struck the post, sending the Al-Fateh Stadium into silence. Al-Kholood seized the moment, with substitute Abdulrahman Al-Dosari restoring their two-goal cushion in the 71st minute after a series of intricate passes, before Enrique completed his brace for their fifth in the 81st minute.
The victory lifts Al-Kholood temporarily to 12th place, six points clear of the relegation zone. Al-Fateh remain ninth on 21 points, with NEOM close behind and still to play.
In Jeddah, Al-Ahli endured a shaky opening against Al-Khaleej. A powering run from Paolo Fernandes ended with a floated cross to the far post, where Giorgos Masouras headed home to give the visitors the lead in the 19th minute.
The second half belonged entirely to Ivan Toney, who moved into second place in the league’s scoring charts with a devastating hat-trick. In the 59th minute, he met a cross from Ali Majrashi in behind the defence to equalise with a first-time finish.
Eight minutes later, he capitalised on Anthony Moris’ poor handling of Wenderson Galeno’s effort to put Al-Ahli ahead. Finally, he would cap off his wonderful night with another first-time finish, this time after a clever headed assist from Riyad Mahrez.
Rayan Hamed added the icing on the cake with a fourth in the 86th minute, sending the home fans into celebration as Al-Ahli moved to 37 points in second place, four behind leaders Al-Hilal, who have a game in hand.
Action returns on Wednesday, with Al-Okhdood welcoming Al-Riyadh in Najran at 6:30pm before Al-Ettifaq face NEOM and Damac welcome Al-Nassr at 8:30pm.
