By SCM Football Correspondent
THE SAUDI Pro League season might be wrapping up, but Al Ahli’s global superstars are playing like they never want the party to end. Matthias Jaissle’s side turned on the style at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, dismantling a helpless Al Khaleej 4-1 in a relentless display of attacking brilliance.
While Al Ahli had already wrapped up a third-place finish in the table, their star-studded line-up played with the ruthless edge of a team chasing a title.
And right at the heart of the destruction was former Brentford talisman Ivan Toney and Brazilian wizard Matheus Gonçalves.
It took just eight minutes for Al Ahli to show their pedigree.
A clever, short-corner routine found Toney lurking with intent. Instead of going for a trademark blast, the England international showcased his elite vision, laying off a delicate ball for Rayan Hamed to slot past Anthony Moris. A grueling VAR check threatened to spoil the fun, but the goal stood.
Al Khaleej briefly threatened to ruin the script when Greek forward Giorgos Masouras ghosted in to convert Saleh Al Amri’s cross past former Chelsea stopper Édouard Mendy in the 17th minute.
But this was always going to be Al Ahli’s night, and their response was devastating.
Just after the half-hour mark, a quick-thinking free-kick from Saleh Abu Al Shamat unlocked the hosts’ backline. Saudi international star Feras Al-Buraikan beat the offside trap, kept his composure, and coolly slotted home to restore the lead.
The second half turned into the Matheus Gonçalves show. Just five minutes after the restart, the dynamic Brazilian went on a mazy, jaw-dropping run that left the Al Khaleej defense in knots. His dangerous ball across the face of goal caused absolute panic, forcing substitute Ali Al Salem to head into his own net.
Former Monaco man Enzo Millot then turned provider, teeing up Gonçalves who inexplicably fired straight at the keeper when it looked easier to score. Toney, too, spurned a massive chance to expand his desert goal tally.
But you can’t keep a good star down. Twelve minutes from time, Gonçalves got the goal his masterclass deserved. Whipping a teasing, venomous ball into the penalty box, his delivery completely eluded the static Al Khaleej defense and nestled into the bottom-left corner to put the gloss on a vintage 4-1 away day.
The statistics backed up the sheer dominance of Al Ahli’s marquee men. Gonçalves finished the night leading the charts in chances created (three), passes in the final third (19), and successful dribbles (three).
With 11 away wins locked in for the season and a club-record 71 league goals on the board, Al Ahli’s heavyweight roster is sending a chilling warning to the rest of the league ahead of next term: They are locked, loaded, and ready for a serious title charge.
