Video: A repeated mistake and an own goal: the Al-Ahly and Sundowns showdown ignites in the Intercontinental Cup
A fierce battle
Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia and South Africa's Sundowns lit up the Intercontinental Cup with two goals inside the opening minutes. A clear defensive mix-up gifted Sundowns the lead. Al-Ahli hit straight back through an own goal to level things up.
Sundowns capitalise on Al-Ahli's lapse
Nuno Santos broke the deadlock for Sundowns, meeting a cross into the heart of the penalty area and heading it past Édouard Mendy.
Al-Ahli's defence switched off completely. They failed to deal with the ball inside the area, and with Valentin Atangana caught out of position and unable to cover, Santos found all the space he needed to score.
That goal exposed one of Al-Ahli's most glaring recent problems: poor defensive organisation and a slowness to react to opposition movement inside the box.
Al-Brikan responds: Williams scores by mistake
The response came quickly. Firas Al-Brikan pounced on a fine pass from the left flank and turned it goalwards, only for the ball to strike South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and roll into his own net in the 19th minute.
Al-Ahli took the credit, but the goal owed everything to Williams. The ball cannoned off him and crept over the line for an own goal that restored parity in a flash.
The equaliser did not paper over the cracks from Sundowns' opener. Once again the Saudi side found themselves in disarray at the back, a weakness that could prove costly against a side capable of exploiting space.
A recurring error: Al-Ahli required to put it right
What stood out early on was that the mistake behind Sundowns' goal was no fleeting lapse. It was an extension of a problem that has surfaced time and again, whether in covering inside the box or dealing with balls played in behind.
Al-Ahli must fix the flaw fast. Persist with such shoddy defensive organisation and they will hand Sundowns fresh openings, particularly given the speed of the South Africans' movement and their knack for exploiting any gap behind or between the defenders.
An early Sundowns strike, then an own goal to drag Al-Ahli level: the tie began in fiery fashion. Now Bušić must find a quick fix at the back, or that recurring error could tip the contest towards the African champions.
