87 seconds reveal the surprise: Al-Hazm sting Al-Ahli with historic numbers

A major shock!

Al-Hazm landed an early blow on Al-Ahli when the sides met on Friday evening in the seventh round of the Roshn Saudi Pro League, finding the net at a killer moment and writing a new record into the history of their appearances in the competition.

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Ahmed Al-Nakhli struck in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. He seized an ideal opportunity to hand his side the lead just before the interval, a goal that carried huge significance for the way the match was heading.

That strike was more than a fleeting advantage. According to football statistics specialists Opta, it went down as the second fastest goal Al-Hazm have scored in their entire Pro League history.

Al-Hazm scored just 87 seconds into the time the referee added on, Opta note, placing it second among the club's fastest Pro League goals. Only their strike against Al-Ittihad in 2009, timed at just 12 seconds, was quicker.

For Al-Ahli, the sting cut the other way. The goal became the second fastest they have ever conceded in the Pro League, behind Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's effort against them in October 2023, which arrived after just 45 seconds. The numbers laid bare a historical quirk for both clubs.

Those figures confirm Al-Hazm pounced on a decisive moment. They caught their opponent cold at a time when everyone assumed the first half would peter out with the score unchanged, and walked off at the break with a precious lead.

The surprises do not stop there. Opta's figures show Al-Hazm became the only team to score two goals during the first.