Al Ahli’s Mohamed Abdulrahman explains on-field dispute with Ivan Toney

Al Ahli defender Mohamed Abdulrahman has explained the heated exchange he had with team-mate Ivan Toney during their 3-2 defeat by Al Qadsiah in the Roshn Saudi League.

The incident took place during the second half of Tuesday’s match at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam. Cameras captured Toney and Abdulrahman in a tense discussion as the Al Ahli players came out for a drinks break, with their side trailing 3-1.

Speaking to Thmanyah after the final whistle, Abdulrahman played down the confrontation and said the pair had already settled their disagreement.

“(Ivan) Toney is my big brother, and these things happen on the pitch,” said the Al Ahli full-back.

“Perhaps we did not understand each other in that moment, but he remains my big brother. I learn a lot from him, and we apologised to each other. Everything is fine now.”

The exchange came during a difficult afternoon for Al Ahli, who were beaten 3-2 by Al Qadsiah and suffered their third defeat of the current season.

Toney was responsible for both of Al Ahli’s goals, but his double was not enough to prevent his side from losing the Roshn Saudi League fixture. Al Qadsiah’s victory came despite the England forward’s contribution, with Al Ahli unable to recover from the three goals they conceded.

Abdulrahman’s comments were made in response to the footage of the incident, which showed the two players speaking animatedly while the match was temporarily paused for the scheduled drinks break. The defender insisted that the disagreement had not damaged their relationship and described Toney as an older brother from whom he continues to learn.

For Al Ahli, the result extended a disappointing run of results in the competition and left the club with another defeat to reflect on. Toney’s scoring form provided one of the few positives, but his two goals could not change the outcome at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium.

The match had already produced a demanding contest before the incident attracted attention, with Al Ahli behind 3-1 in the middle of the second half. Although Toney found the net twice, Al Qadsiah held on to claim a 3-2 win.

Abdulrahman’s message after the game was that the disagreement was part of the intensity of football rather than a lasting conflict within the squad. His comments also confirmed that he and Toney had apologised to one another before leaving the matter behind.