Ayoola Atitebi

The AFC Champions League Elite semi-final between Saudi League powerhouses Al Hilal and Al Ahli kicks off Tuesday night at what promises to be a packed Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. League champions Al Hilal are familiar with this tournament stage - the Riyadh giants, who hold a record four Champions League titles, have reached the semi-finals eight times previously in the Champions League era. Al Ahli last made the semi-finals in 2012, defeating local rivals Al Ittihad 2-1 on aggregate before losing the final to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai. The teams have already faced each other three times this season with mixed results. Al Hilal claimed a 2-1 victory in their first league meeting (Matchweek 6), while Al Ahli won the return fixture 3-2 in February's Matchweek 23 behind Ivan Toney's hat-trick. Their earliest encounter came in August when Al […]

With all three Roshn Saudi League clubs advancing to the AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals in Jeddah this week, history has been made in Asian football. For the first time ever, three teams from the same country will compete in the last four of Asia's premier club competition, guaranteeing the RSL at least one representative in Saturday's final at Alinma Stadium. The action begins Tuesday in Jeddah with an all-Saudi Arabian clash between Al Hilal and Al Ahli, after both clubs dominated their quarter-final matchups. The teams currently sit second and fourth respectively in the RSL standings. "We are motivated; we know it's a big objective for us," Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly said following his team's commanding 7-0 victory against South Korea's Gwangju. "We know it's going to be difficult because there are a lot of good teams." "This […]

Jeddah becomes the epicenter of Asian football as it hosts the groundbreaking AFC Champions League Elite Finals 2025, featuring eight top clubs competing across eight days to determine the continental champion. This season marks a significant overhaul of Asia's premier club competition, with all matches from the quarter-finals onwards staged in one centralized location. Saudi Arabia hosts this mini-tournament featuring three Roshn Saudi League (RSL) sides—Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al Ahli—alongside Qatar's Al from the West Zone. The East Zone is represented by Japan's Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama F. Marinos, South Korea's Gwangju FC, and Thailand's Buriram United. Competition begins Friday, with significant attention on whether RSL clubs can maintain Saudi Arabia's recent continental success, following Al Hilal's championships in 2019 and 2021. RSL champions Al Hilal open the quarter-finals against surprise contender Gwangju FC at Alinma Stadium. Despite […]

The Qassim Derby delivered an unforgettable spectacle as Al Taawoun emerged victorious with a 4-3 win over Al Raed at King Abdullah Sports City on Thursday night, though not without significant drama. Despite falling behind to Amir Sayound's opener midway through the first half, the designated hosts launched a remarkable comeback. Goals from Andrei Girotto (assisted by Faycal Fajr), Roger Martinez, and an Abdullah Al Yousif own goal gave Al Taawoun a commanding lead before halftime. When Waleed Al Ahmad extended their advantage to 4-1 just four minutes into the second half, Mohammed Al Abdali's team appeared to be cruising toward victory and local bragging rights. However, the contest was far from decided. Al Raed, currently sitting at the bottom of the Roshn Saudi League table, demonstrated admirable resilience. Goals from Ayoub Qasmi and Oumar Gonzalez brought them back into […]

A special bond typically exists between footballing brothers - a mixture of love, loyalty, and competitive rivalry, especially when they're twins. This dynamic plays out in the Roshn Saudi League, which has featured multiple brothers and twins sharing the pitch. At Al Qadsiah, Qassem Lajami isn't the only player with a twin competing elsewhere in the league. On Wednesday night in Dammam, Mohammed Abu Al Shamat will face brother Saleh when Al Qadsiah meets Eastern Province rivals Al Khaleej in Matchweek 29. This marks their second confrontation this season, following their Matchweek 12 meeting in late November at the same Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium. In that encounter, Mohammed claimed bragging rights with a 1-0 victory, though their direct confrontation was brief - the twins shared the pitch for just six minutes before Mohammed was substituted in the 81st minute […]

NEOM Sports Club has secured promotion to next season's Roshn Saudi League following a decisive 3-0 victory against Al Arabi Club in Tabuk on Tuesday night. The ambitious First Division League leaders clinched their place in the 2025-26 RSL with Ahmad Abdu scoring twice and on-loan Olympique Lyon forward Said Benrahma adding the third goal. Celebrating their first-ever promotion to Saudi Arabia's top football tier, NEOM SC's social media channels described the achievement as an "exceptional season." In an official statement, club chairman Meshari Al Mutairi said: "We proudly congratulate all NEOM supporters on this well-deserved promotion. Today marks the beginning of a new phase of hard work as we prepare for the upcoming Roshn Saudi League season, with all its challenges and responsibilities. We remain committed to continuous development and to working together as one team toward greater achievements." […]

Mohammed Al Abdali seized his moment after guiding Al Taawoun to the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals via a dramatic penalty shootout win against Qatar's Al Wakrah. The caretaker manager, who took over in January following Rodolfo Arruabarrena's dismissal, used his post-game platform to advocate for Saudi coaches who have historically struggled to secure opportunities in the Roshn Saudi League (RSL). "The Saudi people are more than capable to achieve in all fields," Al Abdali declared passionately. "I saw a lot of media outlets showing no confidence in Saudi coaches over the past few days and their abilities." He continued: "My message... is to have some confidence in Saudi coaches. I'm not talking about myself personally. Let's say Mohammed Al Abdali is a bad coach, but not all Saudi coaches are bad, so you have to place some confidence in […]

Al Ittihad midfielder Fabinho praised his team's "champion" spirit after they moved closer to securing the Roshn Saudi League title following a crucial night of action on Monday. The league leaders received a significant boost before their match with Al Ettifaq when second-placed Al Hilal dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Al Shabab in the Riyadh Derby. Al Hilal had recovered from Daniel Podence's early strike to lead 2-1 through goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Al Dawsari, but Mohammed Al Shwirekh's 68th-minute header earned Al Shabab a valuable point. Al Ittihad then took the field knowing victory would extend their lead to six points with just five matches remaining. Despite conceding in the fifth minute when Vitinho's deflected shot beat goalkeeper Mohammed Al Mahasnah, Laurent Blanc's side responded quickly. Six minutes later, Houssem Aouar's corner found Karim Benzema […]