Al-Hazem 0-2 Al-Ahli: Majrashi produces stunning second-half display
After a sluggish first-half from Al-Ahli, Ali Majrashi led them to victory with a goal and assist in the second half against Al-Hazem.
Al-Ahli returned to winning ways in the Saudi Pro League, after they beat Al-Hazem 2-0 at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
After Fabio Martins missed a golden opportunity from the penalty spot in the first half for Al-Hazem, Ali Majrashi led the way for the visitors in the second, as he assisted Feras Al Brikan's opener before getting on the scoresheet himself.
Franck Kessie thought he made a breakthrough on the half-hour mark for Al-Ahli, firing past Bruno Varela in the hosts' goal, but his strike was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Al-Hazem's best chance of the game came three minutes before the break as Ibanez fouled Amir Sayoud in the box, but Martins' effort from 12 yards was denied brilliantly by Edouard Mendy low to his left.
Matthias Jaissie was growing frustrated on the sideline as he felt his side deserved two penalties in separate incidents involving Varela, but Al-Ahli eventually made their breakthrough in the 72nd minute when Al Brikan looped Majrashi's cross over Varela.
Majrashi, who made an incredible goal-line clearance to deny Omar Al Somah, then secured all three points when he fired the ball in at the near post, following a perfectly weighted pass from Matheus Goncalves.
Elsewhere, Al-Ettifaq picked up their second win of the season after they beat Damac 3-1 away from home.
Despite going behind to a goal from Valentin Vida, Khalid Al Ghannam was on target either side of half-time, before a 65th-minute strike from Georginio Wijnaldum helped the visitors register their first win since the opening day of the campaign.
Data Debrief: Defensive prowess on display for Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli produced just 0.88 expected goals (xG) from 11 shots, but their defence gave them a solid foundation to build on. They restricted Al-Hazem to just one shot on target, which was from the penalty spot.
This is the eighth time the visitors have started a season without a defeat in their opening four games, and their 14th win in 15 attempts against Al-Hazem (lost one). Al-Ahli have now scored 32 goals in this fixture.
