Roberto Firmino Scores Hat-Trick as Al-Ahli Kick Off the Saudi Pro League Season with a Win
Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, and Edouard Mendy lined up for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) opener against Al-Hazm. This match ushered in a new SPL era with marquee signings looking to make an impact.
Roberto Firmino stepped forward in this match to make an indelible mark on the match and to underscore to Al-Ahli fans that he means business. Other big arrivals in the Al-Ahli starting 11 include Roger Ibanez, signed from Roma, Franck Kessie, formerly of Barcelona, and Allan Saint-Maximin, formerly of Newcastle.
Firmino opened the scoring when he headed a cross in the 6th minute. He then slotted in at the back post after getting on the end of a brilliant pass from former Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez from the right.
The third goal was bundled in following a save from his initial header. This marked a hat-trick and a memorable day for the former Liverpool forward as he gets to grips with life in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Hazm showed some brief signs of fighting when they pulled one back in the 50th minute. The goal came from a mistake by the former Chelsea goalkeeper and Champions League winner Edouard Mendy. The Senegalese attempted to make a pass from the back only to end up giving the ball to Vinicius Goes Barbosa de Souza, who duly lobbed the ball over the retreating Mendy to make it 2-1.
Al-Hazm and Al-Ahli have only been promoted to the Saudi Pro League; they were the top two teams in the Saudi second tier last season.
However, the fortunes of the two teams have since diverged. While Al-Ahli were one of the four clubs taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Al-Hazm have had no such luck.
The difference in their fortunes was highlighted on the pitch in this opener. Al-Ahli lined up with household names, including Roger Ibanez, Franck Kessi, Allan Saint-Maximin. Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, and Edouard Mendy. Al-Hazm did not have household names to pick for their starting 11.
Al-Ahli were dominant in most aspects of the match. They had the best of possession, hogging 59% of the ball compared to Al-Ham’s 41%. This translated to more shots, with Al-Ahli getting 15 shots to Al-Hazm’s 11. When it came to goal threat, Al-Ahli had seven shots on target to Al-Hazm’s 2. It is a new dawn for Al-Ahli in the SPL, as it is a new adventure for hat-trick boy Roberto Firmino.
