In a thrilling Saudi Pro League clash at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on January 2, 2026, Al Ahli edged out league leaders Al Nassr 3-2, handing Cristiano Ronaldo's side their first defeat of the season.
The home side came flying out of the blocks, with Ivan Toney opening the scoring early. The English striker tapped home from close range after a precise low cross from Wenderson Galeno in the seventh minute. Toney doubled his tally just over ten minutes later, latching onto a long ball from Ali Majrashi and coolly slotting past Nawaf Al-Aqidi to make it 2-0.
Al Nassr, who had been unbeaten until this point, responded resiliently. Defender Abdulelah Al-Amri pulled one back around the half-hour mark when his speculative long-range effort squirmed through the grasp of Al Ahli goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi.
Al-Amri then leveled the scores just before halftime, powerfully heading in a corner from Marcelo Brozovic.The second half saw Al Ahli regain the lead in the 55th minute. From a Matheus Goncalves free-kick, Toney showed great awareness with an acrobatic hook across goal, allowing Merih Demiral to nod in the winner from point-blank range.
Despite late pressure from Al Nassr, including a misplaced touch from Ronaldo on a promising Joao Felix pass, the visitors couldn't find an equalizer. Tempers flared in the dying moments, with Al Ahli's Ali Majrashi sent off for an altercation and Nawaf Boushal dismissed for the away side.
This victory keeps Al Ahli in fourth place but narrows the gap to the top, while Al Nassr stay atop the table—though rivals Al Hilal now have a chance to overtake them. Toney's man-of-the-match performance underlined his importance, continuing his impressive form in the league.
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