Al Ahli’s ‘finest look’ boast comes back to haunt them in Al Shabab rout

Al Ahli were handed a painful reminder of football’s unpredictability after their attempt to mock local rivals Al Ittihad was followed by a heavy 6-1 defeat by Al Shabab in round 12 of the Roshn Saudi Professional League.

The episode began after Al Ittihad were held to a 1-1 draw by Abha. Shortly afterwards, Al Ahli’s official social media account posted an image of the shirt the team would wear against Al Shabab, accompanied by the caption: “Al Ahli appears in its finest look.”

The wording was a clear play on Abha’s name and served as a dig at Al Ittihad, whose failure to beat Abha had cost them two points in the same round.

Rather than remaining a passing exchange between the two neighbours, the post quickly took on a different meaning. Al Ahli suffered a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Al Shabab, turning what had been intended as a light-hearted taunt into an embarrassing moment for the club.

Al Shabab’s six-goal performance was especially damaging because it matched the scoreline from the two teams’ meeting in 2008. The latest 6-1 loss therefore became Al Ahli’s heaviest defeat by Al Shabab since that match, reviving an unwelcome memory for the club’s supporters.

The result also gave the earlier social media post a new significance. Al Ahli had used the phrase “finest look” to highlight its kit while making fun of Al Ittihad’s dropped points against Abha. By the end of the night, however, the phrase had been brought back into focus as Al Ahli endured one of its most humiliating matches against Al Shabab.

What had started as an attempt to expose a rival’s stumble ended with Al Ahli themselves becoming the subject of derision after conceding six goals.