Tijjani Reijnders joins Dutch scoring elite after Al Qadsiah breakthrough

Tijjani Reijnders marked his first start for Al Qadsiah by scoring in their 2-0 victory over NEOM, becoming only the eighth Dutch player to find the net in the history of the Roshn Saudi League during the professional era.

The midfielder opened the scoring in the 29th minute as Al Qadsiah secured a comfortable win over their fellow Saudi Pro League opponents in the third round of the competition.

Reijnders was making only his second appearance for his new club, but it was his first time in the starting line-up. He immediately made an impact, giving Al Qadsiah the lead before the break.

His goal also placed him in the league’s record books. Football statistics company Opta reported that Reijnders is the eighth player from the Netherlands to score in the Roshn Saudi League since the start of the professional era in the 2008-09 season.

Opta also noted that Reijnders became only the second player to score in his first league appearance as a starter. The previous player to achieve that feat was Ola John, who scored for Al Hazem against Al Taawoun in August 2021.

The result gave Al Qadsiah a 2-0 win over NEOM, with Reijnders’ early contribution setting the tone for the eastern Saudi club’s performance.

Reijnders joined Al Qadsiah recently after completing a high-profile move from Manchester City. The transfer fee was reported to have exceeded €60m, underlining the significance of the club’s acquisition.

His goal against NEOM represents an immediate return on that investment and offers an early indication of the influence Al Qadsiah expect him to have in the Roshn Saudi League.

The Netherlands international had only just begun his spell with the club before being handed a starting role, but he took his opportunity by producing the opening goal in the 29th minute. That strike ensured his name was added to the competition’s professional-era records while helping Al Qadsiah collect victory in the third round.

A video of the goal showed Reijnders opening the scoring for Al Qadsiah against NEOM, providing a notable moment from the club’s latest league fixture.

His achievement follows Ola John’s goalscoring start for Al Hazem in 2021 and means Reijnders is now part of a small group of Dutch players to have scored in the competition since the professional era began. With only two appearances for Al Qadsiah so far, the former Manchester City player has already created a significant early milestone in Saudi football.