Al-Ahli Stunned by Loan Striker Ricardo Mathias in Roshn League Mini-Clasico
Al-Ahli’s meeting with Al-Shabab was expected to be a fiercely contested chapter in the Saudi Pro League, but the Roshn League mini-clasico quickly became a painful reminder of how unpredictable football can be. Brazilian forward Ricardo Mathias, currently on loan at Al-Shabab from Al-Ahli, delivered a decisive performance against his parent club, scoring twice and playing a part in several key moments of the match.
The 20-year-old opened the scoring just 66 seconds after kick-off at the SHG Arena in Riyadh, setting the tone for a difficult evening for Al-Ahli. He later helped force the dismissal of goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi, won a penalty and added a second goal after the interval. Despite his impact, Mathias chose not to celebrate either strike—a respectful gesture toward the club that brought him to Saudi Arabia.
A costly mistake gives Al-Shabab an early lead
Al-Shabab needed little time to take advantage of Al-Ahli’s defensive uncertainty. Mathias pressed Rayan Hamed, seized possession after the defender’s mistake and drove forward before finishing past Al-Sanbi. The goal arrived before many spectators had settled into their seats, giving the hosts an immediate advantage in the 12th-round fixture.
For Al-Shabab, it was a significant early breakthrough. According to Opta, Mathias’s strike was the fifth-fastest goal in the club’s Saudi Pro League history, a record that dates back to the 2011–12 season. It was also Al-Shabab’s quickest league goal since Odion Ighalo scored against Al-Hilal after 62 seconds in September 2021.
The goal carried a personal dimension. Mathias joined Al-Ahli from Brazilian club Internacional last winter, but his opportunities in the first team were limited. He made six appearances without scoring before moving on loan to Al-Shabab last summer. The loan arrangement gave him a chance to earn regular minutes—and, against Al-Ahli, he made the most of it.
Mathias’s run forces Al-Ahli into a major change
Mathias’s influence went beyond his opening goal. In the 22nd minute, he broke through the middle and raced toward Al-Ahli’s penalty area. Al-Sanbi came off his line to stop him, but the goalkeeper handled the ball outside the box as Mathias attempted to shoot.
The referee showed Al-Sanbi a straight red card, leaving Al-Ahli with ten men and forcing coach Matthias Jaissle to make an immediate tactical adjustment. Young goalkeeper Abdullah Abduh came on, while Hamed—the defender whose error had led to the first goal—was substituted to make room for the replacement keeper.
The change brought little relief. From the free-kick awarded for the handball, Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco struck for Al-Shabab, scoring with Abduh’s first touch of the match. The sequence turned a difficult start into a full-scale crisis for Al-Ahli: they were two goals behind, a man down and required to reorganize their defence with most of the game still to play.
Penalty and second goal deepen Al-Ahli’s troubles
Al-Shabab continued to exploit the space created by its numerical advantage. Mathias won a penalty in the 37th minute, and Colombian striker Roger Martínez converted from the spot to make it 3–0. The decision underlined the Brazilian’s growing influence, as he repeatedly challenged Al-Ahli’s defence and helped turn pressure into clear scoring opportunities.
Mathias was not finished. Three minutes after the second half began, he met a cross with a header and scored his second goal of the night, giving Al-Shabab a fourth. It was a composed finish from a forward who had already demonstrated pace, persistence and an ability to unsettle defenders.
As with his opener, Mathias did not celebrate. His restraint acknowledged the unusual circumstances: he was playing against the club that owns his registration and is scheduled to return when his loan ends. In a match defined by rivalry and high emotion, the gesture offered a reminder of the personal relationships and professional arrangements that often sit behind a transfer story.
A breakout performance for the young Brazilian
The match marked another step forward in Mathias’s developing season. His two goals brought his tally to three in just five appearances for Al-Shabab, and he had also contributed an assist. Those figures suggest that regular playing time is helping the young forward translate his potential into tangible results.
For Al-Shabab, his performance offered more than a memorable individual display. A mobile striker who can press defenders, carry the ball into dangerous areas and finish in the box gives the team several ways to threaten opponents. Mathias’s role in the opener, red-card incident and penalty showed that his contribution was not limited to scoring.
Al-Ahli, meanwhile, will need to examine how quickly the match slipped away. Hamed’s early error, Al-Sanbi’s dismissal and the free-kick goal all came within the opening portion of the contest. Once reduced to ten players, the visitors had to balance defensive protection with the need to create a route back into the game. The early deficit made that challenge even harder.
What comes next for Al-Ahli and Al-Shabab?
The result is likely to shape the conversation around both clubs in the coming days. Al-Shabab can take confidence from a high-impact win and from Mathias’s emergence as a forward capable of changing a match. Al-Ahli will be looking for a response, particularly from its defensive unit, as the club continues its busy schedule across domestic and continental competitions.
Upcoming fixtures leave little time for either side to dwell on the mini-clasico. Al-Shabab are scheduled to face Al-Safa in the AFC Champions League Elite on November 3, 2026, while Al-Ahli are set to meet Al-Bukayriyah in the Saudi Pro League on November 5. Those matches will test how effectively each team can carry momentum—or recover from disappointment—into its next challenge.
Any prediction about Al-Ahli’s immediate response will depend on how quickly the team restores defensive stability and manages its goalkeeping options after Al-Sanbi’s dismissal. For Al-Shabab, the key question is whether Mathias can maintain his early-season form beyond this headline-making performance. His display against his parent club has certainly raised expectations, while also making the loan deal one of the most compelling storylines in Saudi football.
