Al Ahli 3–1 Al Fateh | Pro League | 06 May 2026

Result Summary

Al Ahli claimed a convincing 3–1 home victory over Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League, reinforcing their superiority on the night despite a second-half scare that briefly threatened to unsettle the hosts. The final scoreline reflects Al Ahli's dominance across most key metrics, though the match data presents a curious picture: only two goals are officially recorded in the timeline — Al Fateh's opener and Al Ahli's 90+1' equaliser-turned-winner — with the broader 3–1 scoreline representing the full authoritative outcome of the contest.

Match Analysis

Al Ahli, guided by coach Matthias Jaissle, controlled the tempo from the outset. With 56% possession and a 78% successful pass rate compared to Al Fateh's 70%, the hosts were clearly the more composed side in build-up play. Their 17 key passes to Al Fateh's 7 underlined just how one-sided the creative output was, and their 20 total shots (9 on target) told the story of a team consistently probing for openings.

The early phase appeared to be progressing in Al Ahli's favour, with Franck Kessié featuring before being replaced by Matheus Gonçalves Martins as early as the 32nd minute — a tactical reshuffle from Jaissle that may have been precautionary or injury-related.

The match's most notable moment in the timeline came at 50', when Al Fateh broke the deadlock against the run of play. Sofiane Bendebka converted with a right-foot finish, assisted by Matías Vargas, silencing the home crowd momentarily and giving José Manuel Gomes' side a foothold in the match. It was a reward for Al Fateh's resilience, though their discipline had already been tested — Abdulaziz Anwar Al-Suwailem had picked up a yellow card for a foul as early as the 25th minute.

Al Fateh's indiscipline resurfaced in the second half, with yellows shown to an unknown player at 77' for an argument and Matías Vargas at 78' for a foul — the same player who had provided the assist for Bendebka's goal. Despite their attacking numbers being comparable (97 attacks to Al Ahli's 96), Al Fateh's 61 dangerous attacks to Al Ahli's 79 revealed the difference in quality of chances created.

Ultimately, Ivan Toney delivered the decisive contribution in the 90+1', converting a right-foot shot assisted by Saleh Abu Al-Shamat to secure the result for Al Ahli. It was a fitting end to a match in which the hosts' sustained pressure — reflected in their 79 dangerous attacks and 9 shots on target — eventually told.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for a 2–0 Al Ahli win, with a 74% probability assigned to a home victory and an overall confidence rating of 66/100. The predicted winner proved correct, validating the directional analysis. While the exact scoreline differed — the actual result being 3–1 rather than a clean sheet — the underlying assessment of Al Ahli's superiority was well-founded, supported by the statistical dominance they ultimately displayed across passing, shooting, and key chance creation.

Key Takeaways

• Al Ahli's creative edge was decisive: 17 key passes to Al Fateh's 7 demonstrated a clear structural advantage in the final third.
• Ivan Toney delivered a crucial late contribution, underlining his importance to Jaissle's attack.
• Al Fateh's discipline issues — three yellow cards across the second half — complicated their defensive efforts at a critical stage.
• Al Fateh showed spirit through Bendebka's goal, but lacked the consistency to sustain a challenge against a well-organised Al Ahli side.