Al-Ahli defeats Al-Kholoud with a goal from Tony and chases Al-Hilal in the Roshan League
In a thrilling and closely contested match in the Saudi Professional League, Al-Ahli continued their pursuit of league leaders Al-Hilal, securing a hard-fought and valuable 1-0 victory against Al-Kholoud. The match was played at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah, where a large crowd of fans supported both teams in this crucial round.
Match details and missed opportunities
The match began with clear attacking pressure from Al-Ahli, who sought from the opening minutes to impose their control and secure the three points to improve their position in the standings. In contrast, Al-Kholoud relied on a tight defensive formation and closing down spaces, while resorting to quick counter-attacks that posed a real threat at times during the match.
Al-Kholoud's Maoulida nearly surprised the visitors with a powerful shot, but goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi made a brilliant save. Al-Ahli responded quickly through Brazilian Galinho, whose shot went over the bar. The match was marred by controversial refereeing decisions, with VAR disallowing a goal for Al-Ahli scored by Atangana, and the linesman ruling out a goal for Al-Kholoud scored by Sultan Al-Shehri for offside.
Ivan Toni decides the match
As the attempts continued, English star Ivan Toni succeeded in breaking the code of Al-Kholoud’s defenses in the 74th minute, scoring the only goal of the match that gave Al-Ahli a kiss of life and the full points, thus confirming the value of the international deals that Saudi clubs have made to raise the level of competitiveness in the league.
The context of the competition and the impact of the result
This match comes at a time when the Saudi league is experiencing tremendous growth and unprecedented global attention, with major clubs like Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ittihad vying for spots in Asian competitions and competing for the coveted domestic title. This victory is a pivotal step for Al-Ahli in maintaining their title hopes, especially given the consistent performances of league leaders Al-Hilal.
With this result, Al-Ahli raised their points tally to 34, securing their tenth victory in the competition and bolstering their technical and morale stability. Conversely, Al-Kholoud's situation worsened as they suffered their eleventh defeat, remaining stuck on 12 points and placing them in the relegation zone. They must reassess their strategy to avoid the threat of relegation in the upcoming rounds.
