Al Qadsiah’s dream of finishing as runners-up in the Saudi Roshn League was dramatically shattered on the final day of the season, with a familiar foe playing the decisive role. Needing a victory to secure second place, Al Qadsiah fell to a 2-1 defeat against Al Ahli in Jeddah, a result that handed the coveted position to Al Nassr.
The match began disastrously for the visitors. In just the 4th minute, Al Ahli’s Saudi star Firas Al-Buraikan broke the deadlock, capitalizing on a defensive error to put his side ahead. Al Qadsiah, undeterred, fought back and found their equalizer in the 32nd minute through a powerful header from their Spanish defender Víctor Ruiz off a corner kick.
The second half saw Al Qadsiah pushing for the crucial winning goal. However, their hopes were dealt a severe blow in the 72nd minute when Al Ahli’s Algerian star Riyad Mahrez restored the home side’s lead with a clinical finish. Despite a late surge and several chances, Al Qadsiah could not find another equalizer, their fate sealed at the final whistle.
This defeat continues a remarkable and frustrating pattern for Al Qadsiah against Al Ahli. The club from Al-Khubar has now failed to win any of its last 18 official matches against Al Ahli across all competitions, a run stretching back to a 2-0 victory in the King’s Cup on April 23, 2006. Their only other win against the Jeddah giants came even earlier, a 1-0 league triumph on December 26, 1991.
The consequence of this latest failure was immediate and painful. While Al Qadsiah’s impressive first season back in the top flight ends with them in third place, it is Al Nassr who clinch second behind the champions Al Hilal. For Al Qadsiah, the “curse” of Al Ahli proved costly, transforming what could have been a historic achievement into a story of what might have been.
