Al Shabab’s 6-1 victory over Al Ahli brings a 2008 controversy back into focus

Al Shabab beat Al Ahli 6-1 in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, repeating a six-goal victory over their rivals 18 years after a controversial King’s Cup meeting between the two clubs.

The latest match took place at SHG Arena in Riyadh in round 12 of the Saudi Pro League. Al Shabab’s win was the biggest defeat Al Ahli have suffered in their Saudi Pro League history, surpassing their 6-2 loss to Al Ettifaq in the sixth round of the 2018-19 season.

During the match, Al Shabab’s account on X posted a picture of Al Ahli supporters leaving the stadium while the game was still being played. The post referred sarcastically to the events of 2008, saying: “This time, an early withdrawal.”

After the final whistle, the club added: “We opened the book and wrote down another six-goal victory. Congratulations on the easiest win, Lions.”

The reference was to the first leg of the King’s Cup quarter-final between the teams on 18 April 2008. Al Ahli took the lead in the 18th minute through Mohammed Massad, but Al Shabab responded with six goals.

Nasser Al-Shamrani scored twice, while Faisal Al-Sultan, Camacho, Hassan Muath and Juan Manuel Martinez each scored once.

According to Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah, the referee brought the match to an end 10 minutes before the scheduled conclusion because Al Ahli no longer had the required number of players on the pitch. A large number of their players had suffered various injuries.

However, reports said some Al Ahli officials had been seen asking players to go to ground so that the number of available players would fall below the legal minimum of seven. That would have ended the match as a withdrawal, with Al Ahli recorded as losing 3-0 rather than 6-1.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation ultimately refused to register the game as a 3-0 defeat and confirmed the 6-1 scoreline. It remains the largest margin of victory in the history of the fixture.

The second leg was played around nine days later, on 27 April 2008. Al Shabab won that match as well, although by a narrower 3-1 scoreline.

The fixture list also shows Al Ahli are due to face Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League Elite on 02 November 2026, while Al Shabab are scheduled to play Abha in the Saudi Pro League on 05 November 2026.