Al-Ahli defeats Al-Nasr 3-2 and breaks the five-year curse in the Roshan League
Under the slogan "Stay put... Al-Ahli has defeated you," Al-Ahli fans experienced an unforgettable, historic night, as jubilation swept through the stands and every corner of the club, from players to technical and administrative staff. This came after the thrilling and epic victory achieved by "Al-Raqui" (the Royal Club) in the 13th round of the Saudi Professional League, where they managed to defeat the league leaders and fierce rivals, Al-Nassr, by three goals to two in a breathtaking match filled with dramatic events throughout its ninety minutes.
Yassla will unlock the code of victory and end the lean years
Coach Matthias Jäissle's team succeeded where they had failed in recent seasons, halting the winning streak of league leaders Al-Nassr. More important than the three points was breaking the psychological and technical jinx that had plagued Al-Ahli against Al-Nassr for nearly five years. Al-Ahli's last victory before this encounter was in 2020, ending a seven-match winless streak against the Riyadh-based club, thus restoring Al-Ahli's prestige in major derby matches.
The end of the 3650-day knot in Jeddah
Perhaps the most striking aspect of this exciting derby is that Al-Ahli ended a long drought of 3,650 days – a full decade – without tasting victory against Al-Nassr in Jeddah. Records indicate that Al-Ahli's last home win in Jeddah dates back to the 2015-2016 season, the historic season in which they won the league title.
Before the whistle of this match, the two giants had met 8 times in the league in Jeddah during the past ten years, with Al-Nasr dominating with 6 victories, while there was a draw on two occasions, and Al-Ahli tasted the bitterness of defeat in the last 4 matches on its home ground, which makes this victory have an exceptional taste by breaking this Al-Nasr dominance in the “Radiant Jewel”.
January's paradoxes and the impact of the result on the league
Al-Ahli asserted its historical dominance over its yellow rival in January; this was the fourth encounter between the two in the month, and Al-Ahli had never lost to Al-Nassr (3 wins and 1 draw). Conversely, this defeat is a significant blow to Al-Nassr, whose golden streak in January ended at 21 matches without a loss (15 wins and 6 draws).
The importance of this match stems from the fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, which has garnered global attention thanks to attracting some of the brightest stars in world football. An Al-Ahli victory would not only strengthen their position in the standings but also intensify the title race and reshuffle the cards at the top of the league, reaffirming that the Saudi Clasico remains one of the most intense rivalries in the Arab and Asian regions.
On the technical level, the match revealed a defensive weakness in Al-Nasr, as the team conceded 4 goals in the first quarter of an hour of the second half this season, which is a worrying number for the leader, as only Al-Riyadh and Al-Ettifaq teams have surpassed it in this negative number.
