Show caption: Al Shabab's Yannick Carrasco scored a hat-trick against Al A…
Marino Pusic's team crash to 6-1 defeat after five straight wins across competitions
The National
October 31, 2026
Al Ahli Saudi's winning run came to a dramatic end in the Saudi Pro League as Al Shabab secured a thumping 6-1 victory in Riyadh.
Marino Pusic's team had registered five successive wins across competitions but were no match for Shabab at the SHG Arena in Riyadh.
Shabab dominated from the opening minutes as Ricardo Mathias scored in the second minute before Yannick Carrasco doubled the lead before the half-hour mark.
Roger Martinez added a third goal in the 37th minute.
Al Ahli's star player Feras Al Buraikan pulled one back in the 40th minute but Shabab went into the break on top at 3-1.
Momentum remained with Shabab in the second half as Mathias scored his second goal in the 48th minute. Carrasco then completed his hat-trick with penalties in the 66th and 82nd minutes, sealing a 6-1 victory.
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It was the Belgian's second treble in the Saudi Pro League after a similar feat against Al Riyadh last February.
Carrasco took his haul to six goals this season in the Saudi league. Al Ahli's Ivan Toney leads the charts with 13 goals from nine matches.
Shabab thus moved to 10th spot with 14 points, while Ahli are sixth on 21 points.
“We lost by a big and unexpected scoreline. We made many individual mistakes, the fans have the right to express what they feel, and I am a professional coach,” Ahli's Dutch coach Pusic said.
“The individual mistakes, made in the first 25 minutes, complicated everything. We won five matches in a row. I offer my apologies to the fans, and we promise them hard work in the next match against Al Sadd of Qatar.”
Ahli, meanwhile, are flying high in the Asian Champions League as they aim for a hat-trick of continental titles.
Ahli's star striker Toney missed the match against Shabab but is expected to feature against Qatari said Al Sadd in the Asian Champions League.
Updated:
October 31, 2026, 9:41 AM
Source: The National
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