Overview
- Artem Bondarenko scored twice as Al‑Ahli beat Al‑Fayha 3-2 in the tenth round, a result that lifted Al‑Ahli to third place and renewed scrutiny of the coach’s relationship with supporters.
- Bondarenko’s header that came after the announced two minutes of first‑half stoppage time provoked furious protests from Al‑Fayha and a confrontation by coach Fabio Carille who said his staff were not told of the added minute.
- Former referee and analyst Saad Al‑Kathiri publicly defended the decision to allow the goal, noting the fourth official’s board shows a minimum amount of stoppage time and the referee may extend it to recover lost time.
- Tijjani Reijnders’ 90+6' strike gave Al‑Qadsiah a 1-0 win that put them top on 25 points while Gabriel Martinelli’s 89' header sent Al‑Hilal to 24 points and set up a Friday showdown between the two teams.
- The late results have sharpened pressure on managers and selection choices as returns from injury (Salem Al‑Dawsari’s late cameo) and the role of key summer signings meet questions over goalkeeping and a congested travel plan via Dammam to Doha.