It happens for the first time: a disastrous number hits Yassine Bounou's net with Al-Hilal

A major shock

Al-Hilal opened their Roshn League campaign in style on Friday evening, edging a thrilling 4-2 win over Al-Faisaly. Yet the night carried an unwanted first for Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, a man used to looking rock solid in the team's opening fixtures.

Bounou started against Al-Faisaly and shipped two goals, even as his teammates scored four to bank the first three points of the season.

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The numbers tell the story. For the first time since joining "the Boss" in the summer of 2023, Bounou conceded twice in his opening Roshn League match, ending a proud run of clean sheets on matchday one.

Across his three previous seasons, Bounou had kept a clean sheet every time he began a Roshn League campaign. He led the team to a 4-0 win over Al-Raed in his first season, then a 3-0 victory against Al-Akhdood the following year, before shutting out Al-Riyadh in a 2-0 win.

The two goals against Al-Faisaly change nothing about his importance. Bounou remains one of Al-Hilal's biggest sources of strength, and the 4-2 result handed the team a positive start. Still, the goals that rattled his net leave the defence and the Moroccan keeper with mistakes to iron out in the weeks ahead.

So the Al-Faisaly night carried a clear paradox for Bounou. He celebrated a winning start to the season, yet the same match broke a record he had held since arriving at the club. Two goals conceded on the opening day, a very different beginning for the Moroccan with "the Boss".