By video: Al-Qadsiah fire six past Al-Riyadh and close in on Al-Nassr at the top
A footballing massacre in Riyadh
Al-Qadsiah turned the Riyadh pitch into a stage for a show of force on Thursday night, thrashing hosts Al-Riyadh 6-0 in the 12th round of the Saudi Roshn League. It was the round's biggest win and a chilling message to every rival.
What began with clear dominance ended in a goalscoring festival, and the outright star was Dutch forward Tijjani Reijnders. His historic hat-trick sent his side soaring alone to the top of the table.
First half: the start of the collapse
Early pressure from Al-Qadsiah almost brought a goal for Yasser Al-Shahrani in the 16th minute. Two minutes later, Tijjani Reijnders opened the scoring.
Al-Riyadh tried to hold firm but collapsed. In the 37th minute, Julián Quiñones snatched the ball from goalkeeper Bourigeaud and teed up Abdullah Al-Salem, who slotted it into the net. That fatal gift sent the hosts into the break 2-0 down.
Second half: the Al-Qadsiah deluge
The Quiñones-Reijnders duo returned to shine in the 56th minute. Quiñones laid on his second assist and Reijnders fired in his second, Al-Qadsiah's third.
The finest technical moment arrived in the 67th minute. Reijnders returned the favour to Musab Al-Juwayr with a magical pass, and Al-Juwayr swept home the fourth.
Still the deluge rolled on. In the 87th minute Al-Juwayr turned provider, rewarding Julián Quiñones, who tapped in the fifth.
Reijnders completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute, rounding off his goalscoring massacre with his third of the night. The impressive Musab Al-Juwayr grabbed his second assist to make it six.
The final whistle confirmed a 6-0 rout. Al-Qadsiah climbed to 28 points at the summit of the Roshn League, while Al-Riyadh were left frozen on 12 points in 11th, nursing a night their fans will try hard to forget.
A deserved top spot
This result lifted Al-Qadsiah to 28 points from 12 matches, nine wins, one draw and two defeats. They now sit top of the Roshn League, ahead of Al-Nassr on goal difference, with their rivals having played a game fewer.
Al-Riyadh, by contrast, stay stuck on 12 points in 11th from 11 matches, three wins, three draws and five defeats. The danger zone now looms.
