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Saudi Gazette report
BURAIDAH — In a stunning away game on Friday night, Al Ahli claimed a commanding 4-0 victory against Al Hazm in the 18th round of the Roshan Saudi League.
Riyad Mahrez led Al Ahli’s charge by scoring the first goal in the first minute of added time in the first half. The team’s dominance continued with Gabri Veiga doubling the score for the Jeddah-based team in the 58th minute. Firas Al-Buraikan added the third goal in the 81st minute, setting the stage for Merih Demiral to round off the scoring in the first minute of injury time.
Al Ahli controlled the match throughout, creating multiple dangerous opportunities. Despite missing an early chance in the 13th minute following a corner kick, the team’s persistent efforts paid off. Veiga’s powerful shot from inside the penalty area in the 15th minute struck the right post, narrowly missing the goal.
Mahrez opened the scoring with a strong header after a cross from the left by Al-Buraikan. Early in the second half, Al Ahli continued to press, with Mahrez’s powerful shot from outside the box being narrowly saved by Al Hazm’s goalkeeper Ayman Dahman in the 54th minute.
Four minutes later, Veiga scored Al Ahli’s second goal following a low cross from Allan Saint-Maximin to the Spanish midfielder inside the box. Al Hazm’s Fayez Sulaimani almost narrowed the gap in the 61st minute with a powerful shot that passed beside the post.
Al Hazm earned a free kick on the edge of the box in the 67th minute. Antonio Tozzi’s forceful execution was met with a challenging save by Al Ahli’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, denying the hosts a rebound goal.
Dahman prevented Mahrez from scoring a second goal in the 68th minute, leading to a corner kick. The match was decided by Al-Buraikan’s goal in the 81st minute, following a pass from Turkish defender Merih Demiral.
Demiral himself then scored Al Ahli’s fourth goal after a corner kick, initially met with a header by Roberto Firmino. Dahman’s save rebounded to the unmarked Turkish defender, who easily netted the ball.
This victory elevated Al Ahli to 37 points, securing third place in the league standings, while Al Hazm remains at the bottom with 12 points.
In another match held at the same time, Al Okhdoud clinched a 1-0 win over Al Shabab, continuing the capital team’s struggles this season. Nigerian Saviour Godwin scored the only goal three minutes into the match. The game witnessed two red cards, one for each team, with Nawaf Al-Saadi of Al Shabab and Andrej Borka of Al Okhdoud both being sent off. The win raised Al Okhdoud to 19 points, climbing to the 12th spot, while Al Shabab stagnated at 18 points, dropping to the 13th position.
