Al-Ula continued their flawless run with a 3-0 victory over Jeddah in the First Division Regular Season on Monday. The hosts, unbeaten through five games, extended their winning streak to five while Jeddah dropped to fourth place with eight points from two wins, two draws and one defeat. The result shifted the gap between the sides to seven points in the table.
R. Quioto opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, a moment that changed the rhythm of the match. By then Al-Ula had already been pressing, though the breakthrough took longer than their dominance suggested. M. Zamzami collected a yellow card in the 9th minute before being substituted himself in the 51st, an unusual turn of events that caught the eye.
The visitors struggled to respond after going behind. Y. Barbet went into the book in the 59th minute as Jeddah's frustration mounted. And here's the thing — we had called for a home win before kickoff with 71 per cent confidence, and the pattern held. Al-Ula's structure at the back held firm while their attackers found space.
What followed was a flurry of changes as both managers searched for solutions. Al-Ula brought on A. Al Sulaiheem and M. Sroler in the 70th minute, followed by A. Al Rio in the 71st. Jeddah responded with three changes in the 79th — A. Al Hatila, S. Sow and R. Quioto, the goalscorer, all leaving the pitch.
The decisive moments came at the death. A. Horta was substituted in the 90+2nd minute, and then things accelerated. A. Adam struck in the 90+3rd minute, followed by S. Al Nabit six minutes later. Three goals in the final stages, yes, but the real story was how Al-Ula controlled the tempo throughout.
To be fair, the statistics would show more shots for the hosts, but the result was decided before the numbers mattered. Al-Ula now sit top of the table with 15 points from five victories, while Jeddah's loss means they can no longer challenge for the lead. By then, the game was effectively over.