Al-Qadsiah delivered a devastating blow to Al-Ahli's title ambitions with a 3-2 victory at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam on Tuesday, climbing to second place in the Saudi Roshn League and narrowing the gap on leaders Al-Hilal. The result marked Al-Ahli's third consecutive league defeat, deepening the crisis at the defending champions who have now lost four matches in their opening six rounds.
Tijjani Reijnders, the Dutch midfielder, orchestrated Al-Qadsiah's dominant performance with a brace that set the tone early. His thunderous strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 14th minute left Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy helpless. Reijnders struck again in the 45th minute with a clinical header, sandwiching a goal from right-back Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat in between. By half-time, Al-Qadsiah had already secured control of the contest with a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Toney's Late Rally Proves Insufficient
Ivan Toney sparked an unlikely Al-Ahli comeback in the second half, notching two goals to claw back respectability. The English striker headed home a cross from Portuguese winger Francisco Trincao in the 63rd minute before adding a second in the 82nd, demonstrating clinical finishing that offered glimpses of the side's attacking prowess. However, his brace fell short of overturning the deficit, and Al-Ahli's defensive vulnerabilities remained exposed throughout.
The loss leaves Al-Ahli languishing in seventh place with just 9 points from 18 available, having surrendered their grip on domestic supremacy. Al-Qadsiah now sit second on 15 points, level with Al-Hilal but separated only by goal difference after winning five of their first six matches. This fierce competition at the summit underscores the unpredictability of the Saudi Roshn League's 2024-25 season, with Al-Ahli facing mounting pressure to arrest their slide before the gap becomes insurmountable in the title race.
