Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Orobah faced each other in the Roshn Saudi League 2024. Cristiano Abdulkarim Mohamed and Roberto Firmino's goals in the 32nd minute and 80th minute sealed the deal for Al-Ahli Saudi defeating Al-Orobah 2-0.
00:00The opening weekend of the Roshan Saudi League continues in Jeddah at King Abdullah Sports City
00:11as Champions League bound Al-Aqli meet newly promoted Al-Aroba.
00:16The Royals return to the top flight themselves with a third place finish last season
00:21and tonight meet a club playing at the highest level for the first time in a decade.
00:26Al-Aqli were in a similar position last season but were able to call on some big-name signings
00:32and they delivered last season but Al-Aroba have had a rather chaotic last 24 hours with players arriving
00:39and that's reflected in their team sheet here this evening.
00:42And they know they will be facing a team packed with world-class talent.
00:49And the new season is underway in the Roshan Saudi League here in Jeddah for Al-Aqli.
00:56And Al-Aroba, the home side wearing all green, attacking the goal away to our right in the first half.
01:0512 goals and 14 assists last season.
01:10They look to pick out the run of Gabi Vega but it's headed behind for the game's first corner.
01:16I think they'll be happy, won't they, the home side, the way they've started out.
01:20Demarell and Ibanez are both forward, Kessie towards the near post, fisted clear by Kuka and in the end he almost fisted the ball into his own net.
01:28Kuka comes out, doesn't he, wants to claim, wants to dictate his box, gets it all wrong, spins off the top of the fist.
01:34You can see he's trying to clear it with a big punch.
01:37It had been an embarrassing moment.
01:39Luckily, another defender just clears that ball away.
01:41Mahrez with the corner this time and it's deeper and the side foot volley is just wide, it was tremendous technique from Gabi Vega but took a deflection on the way through, possibly off Ibanez but it's a goal kick.
01:55I'll tell you what, it's well worked as well, isn't it, because look at the technique from Vega.
02:02New signings coming into the building, they have to adapt, they try different things out.
02:08Here is an opportunity now and the opening goal, almost, it's into the side netting.
02:15Well, it was a really good run again from Alzobardi, using his pace, linking up with Bartek, he was well on side and once again Mendy was beaten.
02:25Christian Kroos was the coach of Al-Aklia the last time they met in the Roshan Saudi league back in 2015,
02:33as Mendy almost steps outside his penalty area there and he really took a chance.
02:40Now Firmino, finding Mahrez, and the cross is a good one off the crossbar from Gabi Vega.
02:49He was so unlucky there.
02:53And volley through the crowd again.
02:55By Al-Johani, and that's the first constructive piece of football we've seen from Al-Aklia and it should have produced the opening goal.
03:03Yeah, it was brilliant, wasn't it?
03:04It's where you want to see Raheem Ramirez getting on the ball, getting him into 1v1 duels.
03:09It's a super little hang-up, it's a delayed, just can't hit the back of the net, it does everything but...
03:15off the underside of the bar and away from goal is a big, big chance for the home side Al-Aklia.
03:21Very few attempts on target, but now Kessie, he can work his way into the penalty area, good save by Kuka.
03:28It's the opening goal, and it's a big moment for the youngster, Derisi.
03:32The player who so often had to come off the bench last season, give her the start tonight and he justifies his inclusion.
03:41Right, brilliant centre-forward play, first and foremost, because lots of centre-forwards don't unfollow shots in.
03:49There's so many goals this season if you do so, and that's brilliant from Derisi, but it's all about Frank Kessie here.
03:54He starts to move off in the centre of the field, plays it out wide.
03:57They don't track the run, and then he just composes himself, half a yard shot, big save as well, and the goalkeeper, lots of lots of credit.
04:09Derisi, on the scene, finds himself easy tapping, there you go young man, set your season alight.
04:19That was Derisi again, he's found Mahrez, and he should have made it too.
04:24For a player of his quality, that's a really bad miss.
04:27Real big, big chance.
04:30It's given away again by Al-Arabah, who maybe just need to get back to basics here, but first, here is Gabi Vega, tricks his way into the penalty area.
04:40And he is the latest player to go so close to making it 2-0.
04:45And that faint shot that he was going to take on with the right, just taking it down the left.
04:49It's a big hand actually from Hukien goal, makes a big save there.
04:54Flighted in by Kassi Mahrez, receiving the ball at a standing start, but he's got the support, and there is the second goal turned in by Firmino.
05:04And that is the sort of football that the Al-Aqli fans will really appreciate.
05:14And Jahani, it's a super little pickback defensively, you have to pick the bones out of that and say,
05:20Al-Arabah do better, it's quite easy for Firmino just to pounce on the scene and have an easy tap in.
05:28There's no one there stopping that near post from the ball coming in, but credit to Al-Aqli.
05:33He's working from that midfield area.
05:34Al-Aqli zips it in at pace and Firmino caps off a super move for the home side.
05:42I feel that that might just be enough.
05:45It has been reviewed, and the goal will not count.
05:48Offside, presumably, against Riyad Mahrez when he received the ball.
05:54If they put him at the base of their midfield, they will have more license to get forward.
05:58But now it's been given away to Gabi Vega, and it's dragged wide and that should have been a gift.
06:03It's going on, it's bouncing around, it's ricocheting, there's overhead kicks attempted and it forced it.
06:09Gabi Vega, he drags his shot.
06:12You can see what he's trying to do, he's trying to go at the near post, unfortunately.
06:16You don't hit the target, you don't give yourself a chance of scoring.
06:20He can come infield.
06:23He just chooses to check back and find Kessie again, and this time the cross is dispatched.
06:28And Firmino has the second goal.
06:35This little ball here might have been the one that might get looked at, but look at it, just off the chest of Firmino as that ball's played in from Kessie.
06:44Mahrez does brilliant, composes slow things down, and it's just a guide off the chest from Firmino.
06:52And Mendy slipping as he clears, and he was fortunate there, he picked out a green shirt.
06:59Very fortunate he was.
07:01But that's it, a winning start for Al-Atli.
07:07Goals in either half from Abdul-Karim Darisi after 32 minutes.
07:12And Roberto Firmino, late in the second half.
