Al Nassr looked invincible at the top of the table. Some weeks passed and now Al Hilal looks impossible to catch in the same position. In the meantime, Al Taawoun slips again in Jeddah, this time against 10-men Al Ahli thanks to a very late Toney penalty, and the Champions of Asia are entering the race for the podium, too.
You see, the Saudi Pro League never ceases to amaze us: every week is an incredible experience and adventure. Let’s recap the key events of the latest gameweek, but let’s do it a little different this time and focus on some of the key players of the round! You see, football is unforgiving and players get a lot of criticism – but not this time, we are full of praise for some of them!
Wesley Delgado (Al Fateh)
Cape Verde has given some incredible talent to the Roshn Saudi League already, and Delgado has just officially joined this list. The young winger joined the top division of the Saudi Pro League from the fourth division of Portugal as he left Clube União 1919 on a free transfer to join Al Fateh. And they might have found an uncut diamond in the energetic young man, who has now opened his goalscoring account for them, and immediately with a brace against Al Riyadh.
Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab)
When there is no hope, then comes Carrasco. The Belgian maestro has been a shining light for Al Shabab entire season, despite their below average performances. Indeed, Carrasco shows us every week why he is the captain of the White Lions. This time the prey of his masterclass was poor NEOM: 2 goals and an assist resulted in a much-needed narrow 3-2 victory for Al Shabab in an entertaining matchup.
Amir Sayoud (Al Hazem)
The name of the Algerian playmaker certainly sounds familiar to the lovers of Saudi football. Sayoud had a difficult start to this season, however, he seems to be reborn and back to his best ever since the restart of the league in the end of December. Indeed, despite missing a penalty, he almost singlehandedly executed poor Al Najmah, scoring a brace to ensure his team’s narrow 3-2 victory. Whenever he was on the ball, Al Najmah trembled – Al Hazem fans surely welcome back his flair in the team!
Julián Quiñones (Al Qadsiah)
The headlines of the summer transfer window were stolen by Retegui, however, the young Mexican talisman reaffirmed everyone that he is still going to be a key player in Khobar. Indeed, his recent hat-trick against Al Fayha was his second this season, and he already scored 12 goals in 15 matches, ensuring his top scorer status in his team. We feel sorry for the defenders facing him, and poor Al Salem, too, who is fighting an uphill battle to get into the starting line-up of Al Qadsiah!
Rúben Neves (Al Hilal)
Finally, let’s talk about the Capital Derby. A Portuguese player stole the headlines, as Ronaldo … sorry … Rúben Neves performed another man-of-the-match display to ensure that his team’s unbeaten run and dominance of the Saudi Pro League continues. Neves is the heart of Al Hilal: always dependable, both defensively and offensively. Seriously, what will Al Hilal do when he leaves or retires?
