Al Ahli name Ivan Toney among three forwards for fifth-round game

Ivan Toney will lead the Al Ahli attack against Al Riyadh in the Roshn Saudi League on Friday after manager Marino Pusic selected the England striker in a three-man forward line.

Toney is joined in the starting XI by Francisco Trincao and Wenderson Galeno, with Al Ahli looking to make an impact in their fifth league match of the season.

Pusic has also chosen Edouard Mendy in goal, while the defence consists of Rayan Hamed, Mohammed Bakkar, Roger Ibanez and Saad Al-Balobaid.

Valentin Atangana and Artem Bondarenko are included in midfield alongside Eduard Spertsyan, who completes the central areas of the side.

Al Ahli’s full starting line-up is:

Edouard Mendy; Rayan Hamed, Mohammed Bakkar, Roger Ibanez, Saad Al-Balobaid; Valentin Atangana, Artem Bondarenko, Eduard Spertsyan; Francisco Trincao, Wenderson Galeno, Ivan Toney.

The club published its team selection ahead of the fixture, with Toney’s inclusion the main focus after Pusic opted for an attacking combination of the former Brentford forward, Trincao and Galeno.

Al Riyadh will line up with Milan Borjan in goal. Their defensive selection comprises Sultan Al-Essa, Abdulilah Al-Khaibari, Rodrigo Abascal and Suleiman Hazazi.

Fahad Al-Jizani and Victor Lekhal are named in midfield, while Teddy Okou, Issam Bahri, Hassan Al-Ali and Antunes make up the remaining positions in the team.

Al Riyadh’s starting line-up is:

Milan Borjan; Sultan Al-Essa, Abdulilah Al-Khaibari, Rodrigo Abascal, Suleiman Hazazi; Fahad Al-Jizani, Victor Lekhal; Teddy Okou, Issam Bahri, Hassan Al-Ali, Antunes.

The match is scheduled to take place on Friday as part of the fifth round of the Roshn Saudi League. Both clubs have confirmed their selected line-ups before kick-off, with Al Ahli’s decision to start three forward-thinking players providing the clearest indication of their approach to the contest.

The fixture is one of the latest matches in the Saudi top flight, with supporters able to purchase tickets through the competition’s ticketing arrangements. The team announcements were also shared with fans through Al Ahli’s official social media channels.

Toney’s selection gives Al Ahli a recognised focal point in attack, while Trincao and Galeno are also named from the start as part of Pusic’s chosen front three. Al Riyadh, meanwhile, have included Antunes, Okou, Bahri and Al-Ali in their attacking options for the meeting.

No result had been recorded at the time the line-ups were announced.