Ivan Toney secures Al-Ahli's victory on the first day against the newly promoted Neom in their debut match
In the thrilling opening match of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League season, Al-Ahli emerged victorious against Neom, securing a 1-0 home win.
The match started with Neom struggling in the first half, with Al-Ahli enjoying the better of the play. The turning point came when Ali Majrashi went down under a challenge from Mohammed Al-Dossari, but no penalty was awarded. Despite this, Al-Ahli continued to dominate, and Ivan Toney capitalised on a majestic pass from deep, splitting the visiting defense, to score the opening goal of the match.
Enzo Millot, a new signing from Stuttgart, provided the assist for Toney's goal, marking a promising start for the French midfielder in his Saudi Pro League debut. Riyad Mahrez had a shot wide for Al-Ahli eight minutes before half-time, but the score remained 1-0 in favour of the home team.
Neom showed improved performance after the restart, pressing Al-Ahli in search of a draw. Alexandre Lacazette attempted a low shot that was saved by Edouard Mendy, and Neom continued to threaten, with Edouard Mendy making another save, this time on a dangerous effort by Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari.
Despite Neom's late pressure, Al-Ahli managed to hold on for the win. In the 90th minute, Lacazette scored a goal that was disallowed due to offside, securing Al-Ahli's first win of the season.
Meanwhile, in another match of the Saudi Pro League season opener, Mohau Nkota, a South African footballer who plays as a winger for Al Ettifaq and the South African national team, scored the first goal for Al Ettifaq on his debut. Gini Wijnaldum also found the back of the net for Ettifaq, while John Buckley scored for Al-Kholood. However, Ettifaq's defence held strong, and they managed to secure a 2-1 victory over Al-Kholood.
The first game of the season ended in a 1-1 draw between Damac and Al-Hazm. Fabio Martins scored a penalty for Damac, while Jamal Harkass scored the equalizer for Al-Hazm late in the game.
As the Saudi Pro League season gets underway, it's clear that the competition will be fierce, with teams fighting for every point. The next round of matches promises to be just as exciting as the opening games.
