Ivan Toney fired a clinical hat-trick as Al-Ahli beat Al-Khaleej 4-1, tightening the Saudi Pro League title race. The win trimmed Al-Hilal's lead, with the champions not playing until the Al-Feiha fixture on Thursday.
Al-Ahli made it six consecutive league victories, moving within four points of top spot. Matthias Jaissle's side had to recover from an early setback, but Toney's second-half display ensured the team stayed firmly in contention for the championship.
The match began badly for Al-Ahli when Giorgos Masouras struck after 19 minutes. Al-Khaleej capitalised on early pressure, yet the advantage faded after half-time. Al-Ahli increased the tempo, pressed higher, and soon turned control into clear chances.
Toney levelled in the 59th minute,
meeting Ali Majrashi's precise cross from the left with a powerful finish. Eight minutes later, Toney reacted fastest when Anthony Moris spilled Galeno's shot, calmly turning the loose ball in for 2-1.
The England international then completed the hat-trick with a close-range effort. Riyad Mahrez headed the ball across goal, and Toney finished from inside the six-yard box. Late on, Rayan Hamed volleyed a fourth after a corner caused chaos in the Al-Khaleej area.
Al-Ahli's performance was also dominant statistically. The hosts produced 16 shots and generated 3.04 expected goals, while Al-Khaleej managed five attempts and 0.36 xG. The figures underlined how Al-Ahli controlled territory, tempo, and quality of chances across the contest.
| Team | Goals | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Ahli | 4 | 16 | 3.04 |
| Al-Khaleej | 1 | 5 | 0.36 |
Straight from the pitch #AlAhli #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/0uRxRJOinBAl-Ahli Saudi Club (@ALAHLI_FCEN) January 20, 2026
This was Toney's second hat-trick in the Saudi Pro League. The forward also scored three times in a 3-2 victory over Al-Hilal on February 28, 2025, underlining a consistent impact against leading opposition.
Toney has now hit 14 league goals this season, with those strikes worth 17 points to Al-Ahli. The forward has scored nine of the team's last 13 league goals, showing how central Toney is to Al-Ahli's current attacking threat.
Saudi Pro League results and streaks for Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli's current sequence of six wins is the club's longest Saudi Pro League run since seven straight victories in the 2016-17 campaign. The latest result supports belief that Jaissle's squad can maintain pressure on Al-Hilal.
Elsewhere in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Shabab drew 0-0 with Al-Najma in a tight contest. Al-Kholood enjoyed a convincing 5-2 away win at Al-Fateh. The title picture now hinges on how Al-Hilal respond when facing Al-Feiha on Thursday.
The combination of strong underlying numbers, a renewed winning streak, and Toney's scoring form leaves Al-Ahli well placed. The club remains close to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League standings and has clear momentum heading into the next round of fixtures.
