Tony's hat-trick propels Al-Ahli to the top of the table with a resounding victory over Al-Najma
In a thrilling football match at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Al-Ahli staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a deficit against Al-Najma to secure a resounding 4-1 victory in the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League. This win not only earned Al-Ahli three points but also placed them level with Al-Hilal at the top of the league standings, reigniting the title race.
A dramatic first half and a brilliant defensive performance from Al-Najma
The match began at a surprising pace, with Al-Najma entering the game with high confidence and no defensive caution, exchanging attacks with the home side. In the 27th minute, Lazaro capitalized on the visitors' slight advantage, scoring the first goal with a brilliant individual effort that stunned the Al-Ahli fans. Al-Ahli tried to respond quickly and had a golden opportunity before the end of the first half when star player Ivan Toni stepped up to take a penalty. However, Al-Najma's goalkeeper, Victor Braga, played the hero, saving the penalty. Even when the ball rebounded to Toni, who shot again, Braga was equal to the task, ensuring the first half ended with Al-Ahli trailing and Toni missing his first penalty for the club.
Al Ahly's uprising and Tony's hat-trick
At the start of the second half, Al Ahly came out with a completely different approach, displaying their attacking prowess. Just three minutes later (48th minute), Valentin Atangana equalized, bringing the game back to square one. The major turning point came in the 58th minute when Al-Najma's Philippe Cardoso received a red card, causing the visitors' defense to collapse.
Al Ahly brilliantly exploited their numerical advantage, and it was here that the brilliance of English striker Ivan Tony shone through, as he redeemed himself for his first-half performance by scoring a historic hat-trick. His goals came in the 69th and 87th minutes, before he capped off the scoring spree with a penalty in the 90+4th minute, sealing his team's resounding victory.
The battle for the top spot and the intense competition
This match takes on special significance in the context of the Saudi Professional League title race. With this sixteenth victory, Al-Ahli raised its points tally to 53, officially equaling Al-Hilal's points total and sharing the top spot, thus setting the stage for a fiercely contested upcoming round to determine the champion. This impressive run by Al-Ahli reflects the excellent technical work and fighting spirit the team has displayed this season.
On the other hand, this loss deepened the wounds of Al-Najma team, which suffered its sixteenth defeat, leaving its tally frozen at only 8 points, sitting in the eighteenth and last place, which makes its position in remaining in the professional league extremely complicated and it needs a football miracle in the remaining rounds.
