Inzaghi’s early Al Hilal change raises questions after Dahl’s brief debut

Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi’s decision to substitute Sabri Dahl after only 28 minutes against Shabab Al Ahli Dubai has prompted questions over both the teenager’s selection and the timing of the change.

Dahl was named in the starting line-up for the demanding fixture, making his first start for Al Hilal. However, the 18-year-old was replaced by right-back Mohammed Mahzari in the 28th minute, despite showing no apparent signs of injury.

The decision was assessed by sports presenter and analyst Khaled Al-Qahtani, who questioned whether Dahl was the right choice for such a challenging match.

Al-Qahtani said there had been more prepared alternatives available to Inzaghi, either in the wide attacking position or at right-back. Writing on X, he argued that Sultan Mandash would have been the stronger option on the wing, while Mahzari was ahead of Dahl in the right-back role.

He suggested that Inzaghi may have acted quickly because “the problems were clear” in Dahl’s performance during the opening stages.

According to Al-Qahtani, Al Hilal began the game by increasing the tempo in an attempt to find an early goal and avoid being drawn into a physical contest with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai. The Emirati side, he said, is well suited to that type of match.

That approach was reflected in the early substitution, in his view, with Inzaghi responding to what he had seen from the team and from Dahl during the opening 28 minutes.

Dahl joined Al Hilal from Al-Fayha in July last year. The 18-year-old signed a five-season contract with the club, but his first starting appearance was cut short before he had completed half an hour.

The change therefore marked a notably brief beginning to Dahl’s first start for Al Hilal, although the source article does not state that the player was injured or provide a further explanation from Inzaghi.

The decision came in a fixture that had been viewed as a significant test for Al Hilal, with the team seeking to impose its style early rather than allow Shabab Al Ahli Dubai to turn the contest into the type of physical battle in which it is considered effective.