Dembélé hat-trick fires Al-Ettifaq past ten-man Al-Riyadh
Al-Ettifaq claimed a commanding 4-2 home win over Al-Riyadh in a match defined by early chaos and one team's clinical finishing. The encounter turned dramatically in the opening minutes when Al-Riyadh's R. Abascal was sent off after just six minutes, leaving the visitors fighting an uphill battle from the start. Playing against ten men, Al-Ettifaq seized control and broke the deadlock through Moussa Dembélé's well-taken finish on 22 minutes.
The away side showed resilience despite their numerical disadvantage, pulling level before half-time through T. Okou's 45th-minute goal. Al-Ettifaq restored their lead five minutes into the second half when Dembélé converted a penalty on 54 minutes, only for B. Mensah to equalize just two minutes later with a response that briefly suggested Al-Riyadh might stage an unlikely comeback. The momentum shifted decisively in Al-Ettifaq's favour, however, with the hosts' superior numbers finally telling as the match wore on.
Dembélé secured the match with two crucial strikes in the closing stages. His penalty on 90 minutes capped a dominant performance and left Al-Riyadh with no realistic path back into the contest. Seven minutes of stoppage time did little to alter the outcome as Al-Ettifaq controlled possession throughout the closing stages.
The victory marked a strong start to the campaign for Al-Ettifaq, who proved far too efficient when it mattered most. Despite Al-Riyadh's spirited efforts throughout, they simply lacked the firepower to trouble a home side that capitalized ruthlessly on their numerical and tactical superiority.
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