The opening two rounds of the new Jawwy Elite League season have already produced a clear early star, with Al-Ettifaq striker Mohammed Al-Essa leading a group of five young players to make a major impression in August.
The Saudi Under-21 competition began its new campaign last month, with clubs completing their first two fixtures and a number of players standing out across the pitch. The league is available to watch on stc tv.
Al-Essa has made the strongest start of all, scoring five goals to move to the top of the scoring charts. The Al-Ettifaq forward struck four times in a 10-1 win over Al-Tadhamon on the opening matchday, before adding another goal in a 2-0 victory against Damac in round two.
The Saudi striker’s form has brought him greater attention than team-mate Jalal Al-Salem, who was among the leading players in last season’s competition. Al-Salem narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot after competing strongly with Al-Taawoun forward Bassem Al-Arini.
Al-Essa’s goals have also helped Al-Ettifaq make the perfect start to the campaign. They sit at the top of the Saudi Under-21 table with six points, ahead of Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Taawoun on goal difference.
The number nine will now be expected to maintain his form in the coming rounds as he aims to become the leading scorer in only the second season of the Jawwy Elite League and establish himself as a future option for both Al-Ettifaq and the Saudi national team.
Al-Ahli winger provides serious competition
The closest challenge to Al-Essa has come from Al-Ahli winger Ziyad Aba, who has been named the second-best player of August after a decisive start to the season.
Aba scored a hat-trick in Al-Ahli’s 3-1 win over Al-Fayha in the first round and added another goal in a 2-1 victory against Al-Fateh in the following match. His four goals leave him second in the scoring standings, one behind Al-Essa.
Those contributions have helped Al-Ahli collect six points from their opening two games and occupy second place, behind Al-Ettifaq only on goal difference. Aba’s ranking is not based solely on his numbers: the left-footed Saudi winger has also impressed with the quality of his finishing, individual skill and ability to strike the ball.
Al-Fateh forward Jefferson Ramos, known as “N Ras”, occupies third place among August’s leading performers. The Cape Verdean arrival continued the eye-catching form he showed last season by scoring three goals in a 6-0 win over Al-Ansar in round one.
He scored again in Al-Fateh’s 2-1 defeat by Al-Ahli in the second round. Although his side lost that match, Ramos remains joint second in the scoring chart with four goals, level with Aba and one behind Al-Essa.
Ramos also impressed in last season’s knockout stages, scoring six goals and finding the net in every round from the quarter-final play-off onwards. The only exception was the final, which Al-Fateh lost to Al-Hazem.
He was the standout foreign player in the Jawwy Elite League last season and has begun the new campaign in a way that suggests he could occupy the same role again.
Al-Hilal and Al-Taawoun forwards complete the top five
Al-Hilal striker Turki Al-Ghumail is fourth on the list after scoring three times in the opening two matches. He netted twice in a 2-1 win over Al-Faisaly before scoring again as Al-Hilal defeated Al-Kholood 2-0.
The 21-year-old’s goals demonstrated a wide range of finishing. He scored with his left foot after a well-timed movement towards an unguarded goal, used his right foot to finish after pressing a defender and winning possession, and converted a penalty with confidence.
Al-Ghumail is fourth in the scoring standings, two goals behind Al-Essa and one behind both Ramos and Aba. His performances could make him a new option for manager Mohammad Al-Shalhoub after several players excelled in the same position last season, including Tunisia’s Louay Al-Obaidi.
The fifth player to feature among August’s leading performers is Al-Taawoun striker Youssef Al-Salem. He has scored in both of the club’s opening matches, registering twice in a 2-0 victory over Al-Najma and then scoring the only goal in a win against Al-Orobah.
Al-Salem has emerged as a possible replacement for Al-Arini, who finished last season as the Jawwy Elite League’s first top scorer with 20 goals despite Al-Taawoun’s quarter-final exit. Al-Arini has since been promoted to the first team, leaving the club searching for a new attacking leader.
The new forward has shown particular quality with his left foot, including a long-range effort in his second goal against Al-Najma. His three goals place him level with Al-Ghumail in fourth position, two behind Al-Essa and one behind Ramos and Aba.
Al-Salem’s influence has been just as significant for his team as it has been individually. He has scored all of Al-Taawoun’s goals so far, accounting for 100% of their total and helping them collect six points. The club are fourth in the table, behind Al-Ettifaq, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal on goal difference.
