The highly anticipated Clasico match between Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the last round lived up to all expectations, delivering a thrilling and competitive football spectacle for the fans. The game was a goal-fest, with five diverse goals scored, as Al-Ahli defied all predictions that favored Al-Nassr before kickoff. This resounding victory came despite significant absences in Al-Ahli's ranks. The team was missing four of its key players: Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessié, and Riyad Mahrez, due to their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, in addition to defender Roger Ibañez, who was suspended.
Tactically, German coach Matthias Jäsle surprised everyone by changing his usual possession-based style, relying instead on swift and lethal counter-attacks. The team wasn't affected by being a man down, as substitutes Mohammed Sulaiman Bakr, Ziyad Al-Juhani, Matheus Gonçalves, and Zakaria Hawsawi rose to the occasion, delivering heroic performances against Al-Nassr's star-studded squad. In contrast, Al-Nassr's tactics suffered from clear weaknesses due to their high defensive line, creating vast spaces which striker Ivan Toni exploited brilliantly, scoring two superb goals. Abdul-Ilah Al-Amri also delivered a standout performance despite the loss.
The context of the rivalry and the history of the derby:
The Al-Ahli vs. Al-Nassr derby is one of the most prestigious encounters in Saudi football history, transcending the mere three-point match to represent a historic struggle for supremacy and prestige. This match comes at a time when the Saudi Professional League is undergoing a qualitative transformation on a global scale, thanks to attracting the game's biggest stars, making every round a focus of international attention. This fierce competition reflects the tremendous development in the infrastructure and technical capabilities of Saudi clubs, where the technical gaps are no longer significant thanks to strategic planning and advanced technical work.
The result had a direct and dramatic impact on the league standings
. Al-Nassr's stumble and loss of three points, coupled with their previous draw against Al-Ettifaq, cost them the top spot they had held for 11 rounds. This setback gifted the lead to their arch-rivals, Al-Hilal, who now sit atop the table with a one-point advantage. This scenario sets up a highly anticipated Riyadh derby in the next round, a crucial match that will determine whether Al-Nassr reclaims the top spot or Al-Hilal extends their lead and continues their march towards the title.
In the remaining matches of the round, the results were largely as expected, with the exception of Al-Kholoud's resounding 5-0 victory over Al-Fayha, while Al-Ittihad secured a narrow 1-0 win against Al-Taawoun. Al-Qadisiyah continued their strong performances with a 4-0 thrashing of Al-Riyadh, and Al-Ettifaq defeated Al-Akhdoud. Neom and Al-Hilal achieved comfortable victories over Al-Hazm and Damac, respectively, while the match between Al-Najma and Al-Khaleej ended in a thrilling draw.
