In a thrilling match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah, Al-Najma and Al-Riyadh played to a 1-1 draw in the bottom-of-the-table clash, marking the start of the 19th round of the Saudi Professional League. This result does little to help either team, who are striving to improve their standings and avoid relegation.
The context of the match and its importance in the Roshan League
This match comes amidst an exceptional season for the Saudi Professional League, which has garnered global attention thanks to its attraction of international stars and a significantly higher level of competition. In this context, matches involving teams at the bottom of the table take on added importance, as every point is crucial in the battle for survival. Both Al-Najma and Al-Riyadh entered the match knowing that a win would provide a morale boost and valuable points to climb the standings, while a draw would keep them in the relegation zone.
Details and events of the exciting encounter
The first half began with Al-Najma holding a slight advantage as they attempted to impose their control early on. However, Al-Riyadh capitalized cleverly on set pieces. From a well-executed corner kick, defender Sultan Haroun to meet the ball and headed it past Brazilian goalkeeper Victor Braga in the 20th minute, giving his team the lead. Al-Najma tried to respond quickly and squandered a golden opportunity to equalize when a perfect cross found Hisham Al-Dabis in front of goal, but he inexplicably shot wide (29th minute). This was followed by a powerful shot from Frenchman Bilal Boutouba, which was brilliantly saved by Canadian goalkeeper Milan Bourian (30th minute). Al-Najma's attempts continued to no avail until the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, Al-Najma intensified their attacking pressure, and Hisham Al-Dabis missed another opportunity to equalize after going one-on-one with the goalkeeper (48th minute). However, their persistence paid off quickly. In the 51st minute, goalkeeper Burian made a costly error, failing to hold onto an easy ball, which was pounced upon by Slovenian striker David Tijanic, who calmly slotted it into the net, leveling the score. After the goal, both teams exchanged attacks in an attempt to snatch a winning goal. Portuguese player Antonio Tozé almost restored Al-Riyadh's lead with a powerful shot that went just wide of the post (53rd minute), while goalkeeper Braga made a crucial save for Al-Riyadh in the 73rd minute, ensuring the match ended in a draw.
Impact of the result on the future of both teams
With this result, Al-Najma raised their points tally to 5, remaining in their precarious position at the bottom of the standings, while Al-Riyadh reached 12 points, a tally that does not guarantee their safety. This draw represents a missed opportunity for both teams to secure a victory that would have been a turning point in their season, placing even greater pressure on them in the upcoming rounds to get back on track and avoid relegation to the First Division.
