AL-HASA: Matchday 17 of the Saudi Pro League kicked off in thrilling fashion, with 12 goals scored across two matches. Al-Fateh fell to a 5-2 defeat against Al-Kholood in front of more than 7,000 fans, while Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Khaleej 4-1 in the Ivan Toney show. The third game of the day, by contrast, ended goalless as Al-Shabab and Al-Najma played out a stalemate.
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The energy at the Al-Fateh Stadium was high from the outset. Fresh off a five-game winning streak, the hosts had climbed the table after flirting with the relegation places earlier in the season. Sitting in ninth and pushing for the top six, a meeting with an out-of-form Al-Kholood seemed like an ideal place to continue their rise.
Al-Kholood, however, started in a manner entirely unexpected by José Manuel Gomes’ side. Two goals in quick fashion saw the visitors race into a 2-0 lead within the opening 20 minutes. Through balls proved Al-Fateh’s kryptonite, as Ramiro Enrique struck past Fernando Pacheco in the 12th minute before Muhammad Sawan followed up in with a tight-angle finish seven minutes later.
Al-Fateh’s threat largely came from set-pieces, with a Mourad Batna free-kick palmed over the bar by Juan Cozzani their clearest opening. Zaydou Youssouf then took matters into his own hands, driving forward from deep and firing home from distance in first-half stoppage time to pull one back. He nearly levelled moments later from a similar position, only for Cozzani to deny him this time.
