As-Sulaibikhat beat Haitan 0:1 in the Regular Season round 16 of Division 1 on 2 August 2026. The visitors took all three points away from home, extending their advantage at the summit. By then the table was already telling a story of two very different campaigns.
As-Sulaibikhat sit first after 21 matches with 44 points from 13 wins and five draws. Haitan occupy fifth place on 27 points, having won seven and lost eight. The gap between them is seventeen points, a margin that suggests the title race may have found its shape early.
The visitors arrived in good form. They had beaten Shamiya 3:0 on 29 July and shared a draw with Al-Jazira two days earlier. Haitan, meanwhile, were coming off a 1:1 stalemate with Al-Sahel and a narrow 0:1 defeat to Shamiya. The momentum was not in their favour.
The match itself produced a single decisive moment. As-Sulaibikhat held firm when it mattered and converted their advantage. To be fair, the result did not come as a shock. The visitors have been the stronger side in this division all season.
The win moves As-Sulaibikhat further clear at the top of the table. Haitan remain mid-table, now three points behind the teams above them. The standings will shift again next week, but for now the hierarchy is clear.