Al-Riffa opened their Premier League campaign with a clean 2-0 victory over Al-Ettifaq. The hosts claimed all three points from Regular Season - 1, starting their title defence with a comfortable win. To be fair, they did not need much more than a strong start to control the tempo.
Samuel Toscas made an immediate impression. The striker scored in the second minute, giving the home side an early advantage that they never looked like surrendering. It was the kind of opening that sets the pattern for the rest of the match. Goals in the opening minutes tend to change how teams approach the game.
And here's the thing about the second goal - it was not a goal for Al-Riffa at all. A. Abdulhadi turned it into his own in the 61st minute, extending the advantage after the break. By then the visitors had nothing to lose and everything to find.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Al-Riffa held 62 per cent possession and created 111 attacks compared to 86 for their opponents. They managed two shots on target and scored both times, while Al-Ettifaq wasted three shots on target without finding the back of the net. It was efficiency over volume, and that is enough when you are ahead.
The result puts Al-Riffa in fourth place with three points from one game. Al-Ettifaq sit ninth after their opening defeat, with zero points on the board. The opening round does not mean much, but the pattern is already visible.