Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri has made an immediate impact at Al-Ittihad, setting a new milestone in the Saudi League after joining the club during the last winter transfer window.
The forward etched his name into the history books by scoring the fastest goal in the club’s AFC Champions League history.
According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh, En-Nesyri netted just two minutes and 13 seconds into Al-Ittihad’s 7-0 rout of Qatari side Al-Gharafa in the seventh round of the West Group of the current edition.
The goal came courtesy of a precise cross from teammate Muhannad Al-Shanqiti, highlighting the Moroccan striker’s sharp positioning and quick reaction.
This strike broke the long-standing record held by retired compatriot Fawzi Abdelghani, who had scored the fastest goal for Al-Ittihad in the Champions League two minutes and 21 seconds against Pakhtakor Tashkent back on March 6, 2012.
Abdelghani’s record had stood for 14 years before En-Nesyri’s historic strike.
The list of fastest goals in continental competitions now places retired Sierra Leonean Mohamed Kallon in third position. Kallon scored for his team against Al Ain of the UAE in the second leg of the 2005 final after 2 minutes and 38 seconds.
En-Nesyri’s record-breaking performance not only underlines his immediate influence at Al-Ittihad but also signals the start of an exciting chapter for both the Moroccan forward and his Saudi club.
