Ivan Toney spearheaded a dominant first-half performance as Al-Ahli dismantled Al-Riyadh with three goals before halftime in Saudi Arabia's top division. The English striker, alongside Armenian midfielder Edward Sperfsyan and Portuguese winger Francisco Trincao, each found the net at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium on Friday, securing a rare achievement for the club.
Historic First Half Display
The victory marked a significant milestone for Al-Ahli's foreign contingent. According to Opta statistics, this was the first time the Jeddah-based club had scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes with three different overseas players since the 2009-2010 season—a gap of 17 years. The performance demonstrated the clinical finishing and tactical cohesion of manager's attacking setup in the Roshn League, Saudi Arabia's top-flight competition.
Toney's opening goal carried additional weight, representing his tenth penalty conversion for Al-Ahli in the 2026 Roshn League campaign from 11 attempts. Since arriving in summer 2024, the former Brentford forward has established himself as the club's primary spot-kick specialist, converting 30 of 32 penalties taken—a remarkable success rate that underscores his composure in high-pressure moments.
Foreign Stars Deliver
The contributions from Al-Ahli's international stars reflected the investment made in assembling a competitive squad capable of challenging for major honors in the Saudi league. The combination of Toney's clinical finishing, Sperfsyan's midfield creativity, and Trincao's wide presence created an attacking threat Al-Riyadh could not contain. This victory positions Al-Ahli strongly as the season progresses into its later stages.
