al-ahli saudi vs neom | Saudi Arabia | Toney seals 1-0 opener

What happened

Al‑Ahli began their 2024/25 Saudi Pro League campaign with a narrow 1–0 home win against Neom. The only goal arrived in the 23rd minute when Ivan Toney converted after being set up by Enzo Millot’s pass.

Neom pushed for an equaliser in the second half and created several promising moments, but Édouard Mendy was alert in goal. A late Alexandre Lacazette strike was disallowed for offside, preserving Al‑Ahli’s clean sheet and three points.

Key details

The match settled early after a subdued opening. Millot used his physicality to shield the ball, then slipped a precise pass that put Toney through on goal; the striker calmly placed his finish into the bottom‑right corner in the 23rd minute.

Four minutes into the second half Lacazette was presented with a gilt‑edged chance inside the box, but Mendy denied the French forward. Neom continued to work hard — Saimon Bouabre and Amadou Kone both forced saves — but failed to fashion a clear, sustained route to goal.

Late in the contest Mendy kept out an Ali Al Asmari effort from distance (87th minute), and although Lacazette reacted quickest to the rebound in stoppage time, the assistant referee flagged for offside and the goal was chalked off.

Background

Al‑Ahli entered the season as Saudi Super Cup champions and carried expectations of challenging at the top of the Saudi Pro League. Their opening victory put them second in the early table behind Al‑Ettifaq, who beat Al‑Kholood 2–1 on the same day.

Neom — making their own push in the league — showed a defensive organisation that made chances limited for both sides. The fixture underlined the league’s increased competitiveness, particularly with high‑profile signings and strengthened squads across the division.

Reactions

Al‑Ahli’s coaching staff and supporters will have taken comfort from the victory and the clean sheet. The calm clinical nature of Toney’s finish and Mendy’s late interventions were singled out as decisive elements in post‑match analysis.

Neom’s camp will be frustrated by the narrow margin and the late decisions that went against them, but there were encouraging signs in attack, particularly from Bouabre and Kone, who tested Mendy multiple times.

Analysis

Performance metrics and individuals

Although the scoreline was close, underlying numbers favoured Al‑Ahli. The hosts registered an expected goals (xG) total of 1.00 compared with Neom’s 0.49, indicating marginally better quality or quantity of chances for Al‑Ahli.

Enzo Millot made an immediate impact on his Saudi Pro League debut. He created two chances (joint‑most in the match), completed 13 passes in the final third (second‑most), won the most duels (15) and made two interceptions. The French youth international has now been directly involved in Al‑Ahli’s last three competitive games (scoring in the Super Cup semi‑final and assisting in the final).

Ivan Toney’s goal underlined his role as Al‑Ahli’s primary penalty‑box threat, while Édouard Mendy’s late saves preserved the clean sheet and the win. Lacazette’s presence remained dangerous throughout, but his best opportunity was denied by Mendy and an offside call ultimately removed a late equaliser.

Timeline

1. 23' — Ivan Toney scores after Enzo Millot’s through pass (Al‑Ahli 1–0 Neom).
2. 49' — Alexandre Lacazette has a clear chance saved by Édouard Mendy.
3. Second half — Bouabre and Amadou Kone force additional saves from Mendy.
4. 87' — Mendy saves Ali Al Asmari's long‑range attempt.
5. 90'+ — Lacazette's rebound goal ruled out for offside; final score remains 1–0.

What’s next

Al‑Ahli will look to build momentum from the opening win as the league schedule intensifies; their next fixtures will test squad depth and form across the campaign. Maintaining defensive solidity and continuing to get contributions from new arrivals such as Millot will be key.

Neom must regroup quickly to convert promising performances into points. Finishing and small margins proved decisive here, and the visitors will aim to sharpen their final third play in upcoming matches.