Al Kholood
Al Kholood staged a sensational late show at home to snatch a 2-1 victory over Al Shabab in Pro League Regular Season – 6, with Abdulrahman Al-Dosari striking the decisive blow three minutes from time. The roar that greeted his winner shook the stadium to its foundations as the hosts completed a comeback after Roger Martínez’s early opener.
Al Shabab Strike First Through Martínez
The visitors flew out of the traps, and Martínez needed just six minutes to break the deadlock. Josh Brownhill’s incisive pass picked out the Colombian forward, who coolly slotted past Hamed Abdullah Yousef. Al Shabab’s tails were up, but their aggression began to cost them. Both Daniel Podence and Dhari Al Anazi saw yellow inside the first half hour as the tackles flew in.
Al Kholood Hit Back Before Half-Time
The hosts grew into the game, their 54% possession yielding chances. In the 30th minute, they found their equalizer. Julien Domingues released Iker Kortajarena Canellada, who rifled a low drive beyond Modou Diaw’s reach. The goal ignited Al Kholood. Seydouba Cissé joined the list of cautioned players, but they went in level at the break, having outshot their opponents 8-3.
A Tactical Battle Builds Toward Late Drama
Both managers made attacking changes in search of a winner. Al Shabab threw on Abdullah Matuq and Murad Khadharii; Al Kholood countered with Mohammed Sawaan. It was Sawaan who made the decisive contribution, slipping in Al-Dosari for the winner with three minutes left. The substitute timed his run perfectly, held his nerve and sent the home fans into raptures.
What This Result Means
For Al Kholood, it’s a statement win that propels them up the table. Coach Danny Buckingham’s side showed resilience to overturn an early deficit, with Al-Dosari emerging as the late hero. Al Shabab, meanwhile, are left to rue missed opportunities. Despite Martínez’s early strike, they couldn’t build on it and were ultimately undone. Both sides now turn their focus to next week’s fixtures, with this result having thrown the early-season Pro League table wide open.
Key Moments
6′ ⚽ Al Shabab — Roger Martínez (assist: Josh Brownhill)
30′ ⚽ Al Kholood — Iker Kortajarena Canellada (assist: Julien Domingues)
87′ ⚽ Al Kholood — Abdulrahman Al-Dosari (assist: Mohammed Sawaan)
