Al-Taawoun beat Damak 3:0 in the King's Cup Round of 32 on 19 August. The visitors took control early and never looked back, though the contest had its moments before the scoreline settled. To be fair, the hosts started with something to offer.
And here's the thing about that penalty at 45+1 — Al Hamdallah stepped up when the game was still balanced. Damak had deserved something for their pressure, but the spot-kick broke the deadlock just before the break. By then the visitors were already showing they knew how to finish.
The second goal came five minutes after the restart. Al Tulayhi found space and made it 2:0, and suddenly Damak had nothing left to play for. The hosts switched off at the back, and Al-Taawoun took advantage. That was the point where the match turned from competitive to one-sided.
Rajab added the third at 77, and by then Damak had stopped trying to create. The visitors had camped in the final third for most of the second half, and the statistics would confirm it. Seven yellow cards between them told you something about the temperaments on display.
Substitutions came thick and fast after the hour mark. Al-Taawoun brought on Al Kuwaykibi and Sunbul alongside Rajab, while Damak tried to change the mood with fresh legs that never quite arrived. The hosts threw everything at it in the final quarter but found no rhythm.
Al-Taawoun had 65 per cent possession and 72 attacks to Damak's 39. They created four big chances against one, and their expected goals figure of 2.81 matched the scoreline. Damak's 0.38 xG told you exactly how much they struggled to break through.
The victory moves Al-Taawoun closer to the latter stages, while Damak's cup run ends here. They had three or four moments where they could have gone further, but the away side was sharper when it mattered. That's usually how these ties are decided.