Toney breaks record as Al Ahli win five-goal thriller | OneFootball

Ivan Toney’s 42-second header set the tone for a 3-2 win for Al Ahli against Al Shabab in front of 18,253 fans at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City in matchweek 14 of the Roshn Saudi League on Friday.

In what was head coach Fatih Terim’s first RSL match in charge of Al Shabab, his side found themselves falling behind inside the opening minute. A misplaced pass from Musab Al Juwayr was collected by Gabriel Veiga, the Spaniard fed Riyad Mahrez down the right and the former Manchester City winger floated a pinpoint cross for Toney to head home the fastest goal in the history of RSL clashes between Al Ahli and Al Shabab, clocked at just 42 seconds.

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Even before the quarter-hour mark, Al Ahli had doubled their lead. Toney dispossessed Colombian midfielder Gustavo Cuellar inside Al Shabab’s half and found Roberto Firmino who sent Veiga through on goal and the 22-year-old coolly slotted past goalkeeper Abdullah Al Mayouf for 2-0.

The hosts started the second half the same way they did the first; Veiga did well to control Franck Kessie’s diagonal pass and beat his marker down the left before crossing for Toney whose towering header beat the goalkeeper but bounced back off the upright, only to be buried home by onrushing left-back Saad Belobaid.

Edouard Mendy showed his quality when he was called upon at the hour-mark. Striker Abderrazak Hamdallah looked to finish Al Juwayr’s fine pass on the half-volley from close range, but the Senegal international goalkeeper produced a fine reflex save with his left foot to deny the Moroccan.

Al Shabab finally pulled one back 18 minutes from time when Al Juwayr exchanged passes with Mohammed Al Thani then powered a drilled shot from the right flank, the effort took a slight deflection off the toe of Merih Demiral and ended up in the back of the Al Ahli net.

Deep inside six minutes of added time, Al Juwayr gave Al Shabab a glimmer of hope when his delivery from the left into the box evaded everyone including goalkeeper Mendy to find its way to the far corner to make it 3-2.

It was too little too late, however, as Al Ahli walked away with the three points. A fifth win on the trot for coach Matthias Jaissle’s men sees them open a three-point margin with Al Shabab and staying two points behind Al Nassr who occupy the final AFC Champions League Elite spot in third.

Meanwhile, Terim, who had won his Al Shabab debut in the King’s Cup will have to face another direct rival when his side host seventh-placed Al Riyadh, who sit one point behind them in the table.