Al-Qadsiah secured a 3-2 victory over Al-Ahli on Tuesday night in a Saudi Pro League match held in Dammam, deepening concerns about Al-Ahli’s recent slump ahead of their upcoming FIFA Intercontinental Cup fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns on September 19. The result marks Al-Ahli’s third loss in their last four league games, following a 3-0 defeat to Al-Hilal last week.
The contest was shaped early on by Al-Qadsiah’s dominance in midfield, where a trio of Julian Weigl, Tijjani Reijnders, and Musab Al-Juwayr consistently overwhelmed Al-Ahli’s solitary holding midfielder, Valentin Atangana. This midfield superiority enabled Al-Qadsiah to create multiple attacking opportunities and exploit space in the final third.
Reijnders opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful shot into the far corner, beating Al-Ahli goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The visitors’ defensive struggles persisted until halftime, with Al-Qadsiah extending their lead through goals from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, who finished a cross delivered by Christopher Bonsu Baah during added time, and again from Reijnders, who completed a header after a well-worked move between Al-Juwayr and Bonsu Baah.
Al-Ahli responded in the second half by adjusting their lineup and introducing Saleh Aha Al-Shamat, whose dynamic runs on the left flank helped spark a revival. Ivan Toney led the comeback effort, scoring twice—first with a header in the 63rd minute off a cross from Francisco Trincao, and then in the 82nd minute curling a shot past goalkeeper Koen Casteels after receiving a through ball from Abu Al-Shamat. Despite Toney’s efforts, Al-Qadsiah managed to hold on, with their switch to a more compact 5-3-2 formation helping them withstand the pressure in the closing stages.
The victory extended Al-Qadsiah’s strong start to the season, marking their fifth win in six matches—an all-time best for the club in the Saudi Pro League.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Al-Ittihad maintained momentum with a 2-1 home win over Al-Fayha in Jeddah. George Leinekna opened the scoring shortly before halftime with a header from a Steven Bergwijn rebound. Al-Fayha’s Jason equalized just before the break with a backheel finish. The match was ultimately decided by a penalty awarded after Jason was judged to have handled the ball in the area, with substitute Youssef En-Nesyri converting the spot-kick in the 68th minute.
Other league fixtures saw Al-Ettifaq held to a scoreless draw at home by Al-Faisaly, while Al-Hazem secured a 1-0 victory over away side Al-Taawoun thanks to an early goal from Aboutacar Bah, capitalizing on a goalkeeper error by Mailson in the third minute.