Al Dawsari and Al Sahlawi: Capital Derby legends on either side of divide

The history of the Capital Derby is rich with iconic moments, delivered by legends on either side of the blue-yellow divide.

There’s been Cup finals, continental clashes and title-defining domestic duels since the two first met in the King’s Cup in September 1964, kickstarting a rivalry that, 60 years on, remains one of Saudi Arabia’s marquee events.

In the Roshn Saudi League era, two players stand above all others for their ability to deliver in the furnace of the Capital Derby.

Salem Al Dawsari has always been a man for the grandest occasions. Across a decorated career for Al Hilal, the veteran winger has been there and done it for all their modern success stories - domestic and continental.

Last week, in the AFC Champions League Elite, Al Dawsari showed his impressive qualities with a stunning hat-trick in Al Hilal’s thrilling 5-4 victory against Asian champions Al Ain, with none better than his long-range thunderbolt to seal the match ball.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man.

And when it comes to moments, for Al Hilal few are bigger than the Capital Derby against fierce local rivals, Al Nassr. It is one of the highlight fixtures of any RSL season, and this week’s instalment will be no different as Al Nassr look to inflict defeat upon Al Hilal for the first time in almost 18 months.

To do so, however, they’ll need to stop Al Dawsari. Regrettably for Al Nassr, though, over the years that has proved tougher said than: statistically at least, the nine-time Saudi champions are one of Al Dawsari’s favourite clubs to play against.

With 68 goals from 252 league appearances, the Saudi Arabia captain’s goals-per-game ratio sits at 0.27 across the breadth of his career in blue. Against Al Nassr, he has eight from 20 matches for a ratio of 0.40 per game. As it stands, no player for Al Hilal has scored more against Al Nassr in the RSL era than their celebrated No.29.

Remarkably, last season, in his most prolific league campaign of his career, with 14 goals, Al Dawsari failed to find the net in either of the clashes against Al Nassr. Based on his record that could mean, this weekend, that he is due a goal or two.

Given Al Dawsari’s record against them, Al Nassr were already right to be wary of the threat posed by the 33-year-old, but his form to start the season - with three goals in eight games and a number of highlight-reel moments - will have their defence on red alert.

While Al Dawsari has three goals from eight games in the 2024-25 RSL, he has seven in his past 10 across all competitions for Al Hilal. He has been, for several seasons now, the leading Saudi player in the domestic game. Going by his early escapades this campaign, Al Dawsari is intent on not relinquishing that mantle any time soon.

But what the forward provides Al Hilal is so much more than just goals, as important as they are. Creativity, speed and leadership, among other traits, is what Al Dawsari also brings to the table. They are traits that are difficult to quantify, but they undoubtedly help make the current champions, unbeaten in 44 RSL matches, the unstoppable force they have become.

Speaking of unstoppable, one player Al Hilal will be glad is no longer in the yellow of Al Nassr is former striker Mohammed Al Sahlawi. What Al Dawsari is for Al Hilal, Al Sahlawi was for Al Nassr across a 10-year stint in the capital from 2009 to 2019.

Prolific and pivotal, Al Sahlawi’s record speaks for itself. Across that decade, he scored 105 goals in 240 matches in the RSL, making him the fourth highest scorer in league history. His form in front of goal helped Al Nassr to three league titles, including their most recent, back in 2018-19.

Against Al Hilal, however, Al Sahlawi took his game to a new level. In 14 encounters against his crosstown rivals, the former international found the back of the net 11 times. Like Al Dawsari for Al Hilal, no one has done it more for Al Nassr in the Capital Derby than Al Sahlawi.

Clearly, the cauldron-like environment, with an atmosphere to rival any derby around the world, brought out the best in him.

“I have beautiful memories of the derby,” Al Sahlawi said this week. “The most memorable may have been the penultimate game [in 2014-15], which was challenging and entertaining. Thank God we won that game and clinched the title.”

That was a match in which Al Sahlawi once more proved decisive; he struck the only goal in a 1-0 win, sealing the top-flight trophy and adding to his legend in this fixture.

However, not even Al Sahlawi’s goal-scoring heroics could help tip the overall Capital Derby ledger in Al Nassr’s favour. Since that first meeting in 1964, the two clubs have played 185 official matches across all competitions, with Al Hilal ahead with 73 wins to Al Nassr’s 59.

In recent times, you must go back to December 2021 for the last time Al Nassr took all three points in the RSL against their fiercest foes. In the five meetings since, there have been three victories for Al Hilal and two draws.

The two storied Saudi clubs resume that rivalry on Friday, the middle of three matches that make up the RSL’s inaugural Derby Week, at what promises to be a fervent Al Awwal Park in Riyadh. Will it be another Al Dawsari masterclass? Or will a new name for Al Nassr write himself into Capital Derby folklore?

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