Al Ahli were forced to respond after Al Khaleej struck first at Alinma Stadium, with Giorgos Masouras giving the visitors an early advantage in Matchweek 17 of the Roshn Saudi League.
Al Ahli were forced to respond after Al Khaleej struck first at Alinma Stadium, with Giorgos Masouras giving the visitors an early advantage in Matchweek 17 of the Roshn Saudi League.
The contest shifted dramatically after the interval. Ivan Toney brought the home side level on the hour mark, igniting a decisive spell that completely altered the balance of the encounter.
Within 18 minutes, the England striker completed a clinical hat-trick, first pushing Al Ahli in front and then extending their lead as Al Khaleej struggled to contain him.
Rayan Hamed added a late finish four minutes from the end, sealing a convincing 4-1 outcome and confirming another strong display from the Asian champions.
The success marked a sixth consecutive league victory for Al Ahli, a run that has propelled them into second position in the standings.
They now sit three points clear of both Al Nassr and Al Taawoun, while remaining four behind leaders Al Hilal, with all three rivals still to play during this round.
Toney’s three-goal showing lifted him to second place in the 2025-26 RSL scoring rankings, leaving him just one strike shy of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, who has claimed the previous two Golden Boot awards, had narrowly edged the former Brentford forward to the prize last season, which was Toney’s first campaign in Saudi Arabia.
The forward’s recent output underlines his growing influence, with 11 goals across his last nine outings in all competitions.
In league action alone, he has contributed nine of Al Ahli’s previous 13 goals, having already delivered the decisive strikes in each of the two preceding matchweeks.
Head coach Matthias Jaissle highlighted the striker’s importance after the final whistle, pointing to the constant sense of danger he provides in attacking areas.
The German also reflected on the earlier criticism Toney faced during a difficult spell, praising his response through determination, effort, and persistence to reverse his fortunes.
