Sports

Al-Fateh Secure Back-to-Back Wins, Al-Taawoun Keep Pressure on Title Leaders

Al-Fateh continued their strong run in the Saudi Pro League, registering back-to-back victories for the first time this season with a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Monday, moving to 11 points in the standings.

The decisive moment came in the 41st minute when Matias Vargas calmly chipped the ball past Anthony Moris after a precise diagonal from Mourad Batna. The Argentinian striker has now scored four goals in three matches, contributing significantly to more than half of Al-Fateh’s points this season.

Al-Fateh’s attacking strategy relied on Sofiane Bendebka, who drifted between a deep midfield and second-striker role, supported by Batna and Vargas in a fluid forward line. This approach allowed the team to control the attacking third and exploit counter-attacking opportunities. Al-Khaleej, despite introducing top scorer Joshua King and Pedro Rebocho in the second half, struggled to break through. Their best chance came in the 68th minute, when Giorgos Masouras’ effort hit the post.

Meanwhile, Al-Hazem traveled to Riyadh to face Al-Riyadh and secured a 2-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Nawaf Al-Habashi and Omar Al-Somah. Al-Somah extended his all-time Saudi Pro League tally to 157 goals, solidifying his position as the league’s top scorer of all time.

In Qassim, Al-Taawoun edged last-placed Al-Najma 1-0 with a late strike from Roger Martinez in the 85th minute. The win, their ninth of the season, keeps the Wolves within striking distance of the title, moving them to 28 points, two behind leaders Al-Nassr and two ahead of Al-Hilal, with both rivals having a game in hand.

Manager Pericles Chamusca has guided Al-Taawoun to their best-ever start in Saudi Pro League history, surprising many in a league dominated by established teams and star players.

Upcoming fixtures for Matchday 12 on Tuesday include: