Al-Ahli defeats Al-Khaleej with a Toni hat-trick, and Al-Kholoud crushes Al-Fateh
In a thrilling night of football in the 17th round of the Saudi Professional League , Al-Ahli turned the tables on their guest Al-Khaleej, achieving a resounding 4-1 victory, thanks to a standout performance from English striker Ivan Tony. In another match, Al-Kholoud secured a surprising and impressive 5-2 win against their host Al-Fateh.
Al-Ahly comeback led by Tony
At the Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Al-Ahli fans experienced a tense start to the match. The team suffered an early blow when Turkish defender Merih Demiral was forced off with an injury, followed by a surprise goal from Al-Khaleej's Giorgos Masouras in the 19th minute. This scenario put Al-Ahli under immense pressure to get back into the game and avoid another setback that could push them further away from the top of the table.
With the start of the second half, Al-Ahli staged a completely different comeback, with English striker Ivan Tony establishing himself as the undisputed star of the match. Tony scored a hat-trick in the 59th, 67th, and 77th minutes, turning his team's deficit into a comfortable lead, before substitute Rayan Hamed completed the rout with a fourth goal in the 86th minute. This victory raised Al-Ahli's points tally to 37, temporarily propelling them to second place and confirming their determination to compete strongly for Asian Champions League qualification spots. Meanwhile, Al-Khaleej's points total remained at 24, leaving them in eighth place after suffering their sixth defeat.
The importance of winning the league race
This victory holds particular significance for Al Ahli amidst the fierce competition this season. After a period of inconsistent results, this 11th win for the team sends a reassuring message to the fans about the team's mental and physical readiness. Furthermore, Ivan Toni's brilliance and hat-trick boost his confidence as the team's main striker, something Al Ahli needs in the crucial upcoming rounds to secure their place in the top four and keep pace with the league leaders.
Immortality strikes hard in Al-Ahsa
In the second match, held at Al-Fateh Club's stadium, Al-Kholoud delivered a powerful attacking performance, netting five goals against their hosts. Ramiro Henrique scored twice (in the 12th and 81st minutes), while Mohammed Souan (19th minute), Hattan Bahebri (55th minute), and Abdulrahman Al-Dossari (71st minute) also found the net for Al-Kholoud. For Al-Fateh, Zaidou Youssef and John Buckley (an own goal) scored. The match also saw Mourad Batna miss a penalty kick that could have changed the course of the game for Al-Fateh.
With this resounding result, Al-Kholoud raised its tally to 15 points, occupying the twelfth position, achieving its fifth victory which takes it slightly away from the danger zones, while Al-Fateh’s situation worsened as its tally froze at 21 points in the ninth position after suffering its seventh loss this season.
