Al-Ahli defeats Al-Ettifaq 4-0, with Toni scoring a hat-trick in the Roshan League

Al-Ahli's first football team continued their strong performances and impressive winning streak, sending a clear message to their rivals after a resounding 4-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq, in a match where English star Ivan Toni shone. This match was part of the 19th round of the Saudi Professional League, which also saw Al-Fayha secure an important win and Al-Najma and Al-Riyadh play to a draw.

The night of "Al-Raqi" in the radiant jewel

At the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Al-Ahli dominated their match against Al-Ettifaq. English striker Ivan Tony led the charge for Al-Ahli to a resounding 4-0 victory, scoring a hat-trick and cementing his status as one of the league's top strikers. Al-Ahli didn't stop there, with teammate Atangana adding a fourth goal, further demonstrating the team's improved form.

With this valuable victory, Al-Ahli raised its tally to 43 points, securing second place and continuing to chase the top spot, thus igniting the competition at the top of the standings, while Al-Ettifaq's tally remained frozen at 29 points, raising questions about the team's fluctuating performance in recent rounds.

Al-Fayha corrects its course, and Al-Riyadh snatches a point

In another match held at Al Majmaah Sports City Stadium, Al Fayha returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Al Khaleej. The goals for Al Fayha were scored by Hussein Al Sultan (own goal), veteran English defender Cristiano Smalling, and Zambian striker Fashion Sakala, while Masouras scored Al Khaleej's lone goal. With this win, Al Fayha raised their points tally to 20, moving further away from the relegation zone, while Al Khaleej remained on 25 points.

In Buraydah, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Al-Najma and Al-Riyadh played to a 1-1 draw. Al-Riyadh took the lead through Sultan Haroun in the 20th minute, before David Tiganjevic equalized for Al-Najma in the 51st minute. With this result, Al-Riyadh reached 12 points, while Al-Najma remains at the bottom of the table with 5 points.

The development of the Saudi league and the impact of professional players

The results of this round reflect the significant development in the level of the Saudi Professional League, as the arrival of international stars like Ivan Toni and Cristiano Smalling has added a tremendous technical and competitive dimension to the competition. The league is no longer just a local competition; it has become a focus of global attention thanks to the high quality of the matches and the continuous excitement until the final minutes, thus reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a leading global sporting destination.