Tello double sinks Gerrard's Al Ettifaq, Al Riyadh enter top four

Al Okhdood 0-1 Al Riyadh

Toze’s second-half goal was the difference at Prince Hathloul Sports City as Al Riyadh came away from Najran with a valuable 1-0 victory against home side Al Okhdood to climb into the top four of the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League.

The visitors could have taken the lead inside four minutes under heavy rain, when Bernard Mensah broke free down the left and crossed for Hussain Al Nowaiqi, whose finish looked headed for the top corner had it not been for a heroic goal-line clearance by Jamaican defender Damion Lowe.

Goalkeeper Milan Borjan then had to be at his flexible best to parry the ball away after a fine passing move saw Ibarhima Kone set up Sebastian Pedroza with an exquisite backheel pass that the Colombian stuck nicely, but was denied by the veteran Canadian.

Al Okhdood thought they had taken the lead six minutes before the break when Kone controlled Awadh Khaims’ long pass inside the Al Riyadh penalty area and fired home on the turn, but the Malian forward had been flagged offside in the build-up.

The winning goal arrived eight minutes into the second half, once Mensah led a quick counter attack down the right before teeing up Toze to sweep home his first goal of the campaign.

Between them, Mensah and Toze, who joined Al Riyadh this summer after excelling last season for relegated sides Al Tai and Al Hazem respectively, have seven goal contributions already for the high-flying capital club.

Al Fateh 1-1 Al Kholood

Bottom-of-the-table Al Fateh finally ended their four-match losing streak by picking up a point at home to 15th-placed Al Kholood after a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Al Ahsa.

The earliest test for visiting goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe came after two minutes when the RSL’s longest-serving player, Mohammed Al Fuhaid, crossed for Sofiane Bendebka, whose header was too central, allowing the Brazilian to collect comfortably.

In the ninth minute, the away side opened the scoring after Aliou Dieng applied the high press, recovering the ball deep inside Al Fateh's penalty area and feeding Spanish playmaker Alex Collado. The in-form forward curled home his fourth goal of the campaign to continue his red-hot streak with the club he joined from Al Okhdood in the summer.

Jackson Muleka nearly replicated Collado’s effort halfway through the second half, but saw his attempt denied by Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Szappanos to limit the damage to one goal at the break.

Eight minutes into the second half, Al Fateh drew level. Cape Verdean forward Djaniny latched onto a long pass, dribbled past Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong and fired into the top corner.

The points shared mean newly promoted Al Kholood remain just afloat of the relegation zone at this early stage, while Al Fateh remain rooted to the foot of the table despite picking up points for the first time since Matchweek 2.

Al Ettifaq 2-3 Al Orobah

Former FC Barcelona winger Cristian Tello was the star as promoted side Al Orobah downed Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq 3-2 in a thrilling encounter in Dammam.

The Spaniard bagged a brace to seal a comeback after the hosts had a man sent-off early in the second half. Tello, a product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, opened the scoring in stunning fashion after 12 minutes, picking up Emmanuel Boateng’s cushioned pass and curling with venom towards the top corner for his first of the night.

Just before the first half ended, former AS Roma prospect Joao Costa restored parity for Al Ettifaq, applying a calm finish into the bottom corner after a through ball from fellow Brazilian Vitinho.

Yet Al Ettifaq went into the dressing room a man down after Saudi international forward Abdullah Radif received a direct red card for stamping on Fahad Al Rashidi. To their credit, the hosts did manage a quick response right before the half-time whistle thanks to Gini Wijnaldum’s persistence.

The Dutchman, the Al Ettifaq captain, picked up Moussa Dembele’s pass and fought off the defender before powering home to put his side 2-1 up. However, Wijnaldum’s strike was the final piece of positive news for Gerrard on the night as his side came unravelled in the second period.

Al Orobah captain Johann Berg Gudmundsson equalised for the visitors in the 74th minute with a spectacular strike from 30 yards into the top corner, before Tello added his fourth goal of the season, converting Nawaf Al Qumairi’s cross from the right to win it with six minutes left on the clock.

Al Orobah’s third victory in their past four matches takes them into 10th place, three points behind the top four and only behind Gerrard’s side on goal difference.