RIYADH: The foreign ownership journey of Saudi clubs has started on a remarkable note. When Ben Harburg acquired Al-Kholood, even he would not have imagined his team would reach the final of the Saudi King’s Cup in his first season.
But reach it they did, fighting back twice to hold Al-Ittihad to a 2-2 draw after extra time before defeating them 5-4 on penalties. On the other side of the draw, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal played out a 1-1 draw, with Bounou’s penalty heroics eventually sealing a 4-2 shootout victory for the Blues.
Each game had its own story. In Qassim, Al-Kholood set up in a compact 5-3-2 to force Al-Ittihad out wide. Moussa Diaby started on the bench, and as a result Steven Bergwijn and Houssem Aouar struggled to deliver the kind of final ball Youssef En-Nesyri thrives on.
In Jeddah, Al-Ahli’s tried-and-tested formula of threading passes behind the defense was well-read by Al-Hilal, who packed the central channels to prevent Riyad Mahrez’s passes from finding their target. Matthias Jaissle’s players tried to overcome this challenge by winning individual duels on the flanks, but Al-Ahli’s finishing quality was not at its best.
It did not help that the visitors focused on isolating Ivan Toney on the edge of the box. The Englishman — enjoying a stellar season as he hopes to secure a spot in England’s World Cup squad — struggled to find himself in positions that truly threatened Yassine Bounou.
To the surprise of many, it was Al-Hilal who took the lead before the break. In their brightest moment of the first half, Karim Benzema drove down the flank to find Theo Hernandez drifting inside to form a triangle with Salem Al-Dawsari on the left.
The trio exchanged passes before Hernandez capitalized on right-back Ali Majrashi’s slip, moving into space and unleashing a thunderous strike past Edouard Mendy for the opener in the 39th minute.
At the same time in Qassim, Al-Ittihad had taken the lead — but with worrying consequences. Breakout star Mahamadou Doumbia surged toward goal early in the match before collapsing after twisting his knee. The Malian midfielder received immediate treatment, with reports suggesting the injury could be serious.
In his place came Diaby, who offered an immediate threat. Last season’s lead creator in the Saudi Pro League gave Al-Ittihad a more direct attacking outlet and struck from distance in the 40th minute after a clever free-kick lay-off to send the visitors into the break ahead.
Al-Kholood, however, refused to back down on the biggest night in the club’s history. Pundits had suggested their strategy would involve staying compact until the 70th minute before trying to steal a goal — and lo and behold, Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa slipped behind Roger Fernandes, who lost his footing, to find himself with a clear sight on goal and fire home an unlikely equalizer in the 73rd minute.
The hosts forced the match into extra-time, but it was Diaby who made the difference once again. In the 96th minute, he drove toward the area before slipping Bergwijn through, the Dutchman delivering a low finish past Juan Cozzani to restore Al-Ittihad’s lead.
Al-Kholood showed that their run to this stage was no fluke, however. In the 111th minute, 20-year-old substitute Adam Berry made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal for the club to equalize with a superb long-range strike. It sent the Al-Kholood faithful into a frenzy, and the game towards a penalty shootout.
Back in Jeddah, Al-Ahli continued their search for the moment that would bring them back into the match. Al-Hilal held firm, but Hassan Al-Tambakti’s tackle on Roger Ibanez on the edge of the box in the 78th minute prompted the referee to consult VAR.
A penalty was awarded, and it was up to Toney to equalize. His relatively weak effort was parried by Bounou but, to the delight of the home fans, the ball trickled behind the goalkeeper and over the line.
Extra-time followed, but unlike the match in Qassim, there would be no goals in the final half hour in Jeddah. Mendy and Bounou traded saves as both sides pushed for a winner, but the stalemate.
The match — the third between Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli this season — would also head to penalties.
As the players gathered at Al-Inma Stadium, the drama had already begun at Al-Hazem Stadium. Shaquille Pinas and Unas converted their penalties for Al-Kholood, while Fabinho did the same for Al-Ittihad but Aouar saw his effort saved by Cozzani.
Edgaras Utkus kept Al-Kholood ahead before Danilo responded for the visitors. Abdulaziz Al-Dawsari’s composed finish from the fourth kick put Al-Kholood 4-2 ahead, while Mario Mitaj kept Al-Ittihad alive by curling his effort past the goalkeeper.
Norbert Gyomber then stepped up for Al-Kholood’s fifth penalty with the chance to seal history for the club. His strike rattled the post, handing Al-Ittihad a lifeline, and Saleh Al-Shehri converted to level the shootout at 4-4 after five each.
Iker Kortajarena calmly slipped his effort past Predrag Rajkovic to restore Al-Kholood’s advantage, but the final moment would prove cruel for Al-Ittihad. Diaby — who had created both goals for his team, saw his penalty saved to send Al-Kholood into their first Saudi King’s Cup final.
The shootout in Jeddah proved just as dramatic. Ivan Toney’s opening effort was saved by Bounou, while Ruben Neves followed up with a precise finish to give Al-Hilal the early advantage.
Franck Kessie converted for Al-Ahli before Marcos Leonardo restored Al-Hilal’s lead, but Bounou again took center stage and saved Galeno’s penalty.
Next, Mendy came within inches of denying Sultan Mandash, but the latter’s powerful strike burst into the net despite an initial parry. Ziyad Al-Johani kept Al-Ahli alive by scoring their second penalty of the night, though they now needed Al-Hilal to miss.
Enter Theo Hernandez.
With the same power and confidence that produced the opening goal of the match, the Frenchman struck the ball emphatically, crashing it off the underside of the bar and into the net.
Al-Hilal edged their rivals on their own turf to book their place in the final.
From Sergio Conceicao’s pedigree in cup finals to Al-Kholood’s underdog journey, along with the storied rivalry between Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal, the night ultimately belonged to Al-Kholood and Al-Hilal.
For Al-Kholood, their tradition of giant-killing continues. For Al-Hilal, it is the story of a club that never backs down even in the most turbulent of seasons.
