Al-Shabab claimed a 3-2 victory over Al-Jahra in the Premier League's first round of fixtures on Tuesday evening. The hosts were trailing 2-1 until Mateus Toto struck in the 90th minute plus five to seal the win. It was a match decided in the final moments, with the result leaving Al-Shabab four points from two games.
M. Al Qahtani opened the scoring in the 24th minute, giving the hosts an early advantage. Al-Jahra responded with two quick goals in the second half, finding the net in the 56th and 64th minutes to take the lead. Al-Shabab pulled level through a goal in the 73rd minute before Toto's late strike completed the turnaround.
And here's the thing about this match — Al-Jahra had more attacks with 182 compared to 149, yet they could not hold the advantage. Al-Shabab controlled 56 per cent of possession and registered 16 shots, eight of which were on target. The visitors managed 13 attempts with only three on target, and those chances went begging.
By then, the table told a different story. Al-Shabab sit fourth with four points from two games, having won one and drawn one. Al-Jahra remain seventh on three points after one victory and one defeat. The hosts had lost 1-2 to these same visitors in June, so there was a measure of revenge in this result.
Al-Jahra's recent form showed mixed results, with a draw against Al-Nasr and losses to Al-Tadhamon and Al-Kadisia. Al-Shabab's run included a 3-1 win over Al-Tadhamon but also heavy defeats to Al-Nasr and Al-Tadhamon. The result changes nothing in terms of positioning, but it gives the hosts momentum going forward.
To be fair, Al-Shabab did not dominate possession alone — they created more clear-cut chances and took them when it mattered. The visitors had corners and throw-ins in their favour, but shots on target tell the real story. Eight on target for the hosts, three for the visitors, and that difference decided the match.