Al Shabab’s 6-1 victory over Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League was inspired by a player still contracted to their opponents, with Ricardo Matias scoring twice and contributing to two more goals.
The Brazilian striker opened the scoring after only 66 seconds in Friday’s match at SHG Arena in Riyadh, taking the ball from Al Ahli defender Ryan Hamed before finishing past goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi.
Matias struck again three minutes into the second half, heading in a cross from Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco to put Al Shabab 4-0 ahead in the 12th round fixture.
His impact went beyond his two goals. Matias won the free-kick from which Carrasco scored Al Shabab’s second, after Al-Sanbi handled the ball outside his penalty area and was shown a straight red card.
The 20-year-old also earned the penalty that led to Al Shabab’s third goal. He was brought down inside the box, allowing Colombian striker Roger Martinez to convert from the spot.
Matias achieved all of that while remaining an Al Ahli player. He joined Al Shabab on a season-long loan during the previous summer transfer window, having moved to Al Ahli from Internacional in January last year.
He made only six appearances for Al Ahli’s first team and did not score in any of them. However, the forward had shown promising form for the club’s Under-21 side in the Jawwy Elite League Under-21 last season.
Despite Al Ahli struggling for consistency during that campaign, Matias scored four goals in the final four rounds. The club nevertheless did not give him an opportunity to establish himself in the senior squad.
That decision left Al Ahli without a natural replacement for English striker Ivan Toney when he was absent, as he was against Al Shabab. Instead, the club allowed Matias to leave on loan before he could fill that role.
The Brazilian’s two goals took his total for Al Shabab to four in only five appearances. In doing so, he played a major part in a heavy defeat that Al Ahli helped create by choosing not to retain him as part of their first-team options.
Al Ahli will have the chance to reconsider that decision. Matias is due to return to the club in next summer’s transfer window when his loan with Al Shabab ends at the conclusion of the current season.