Dams Breaks the Defense: Matteo Dams Becomes Al Ahli’s Costly Spectacle

Belgian left-back Matteo Dams, playing for Al Ahli, has continued his costly mistakes since joining the club, dragging German coach Matthias Jaissle into a dramatic stalemate with their Saudi rival Al Shabab.

Al Ahli and Al Shabab played to a 1-1 draw at the Al-Inma Stadium in the fifth round of the Saudi Pro League, a result that kept the home side from climbing the table and sharpened the spotlight on Dams.

Al Ahli led through Ivan Tony’s penalty in the 15th minute, while Shabab were reduced to ten men after defender Mohammed Al-Shuairkh saw red in the 77th. Yet the Belgian defender’s afternoon would not escape scrutiny.

In the 87th minute, Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco burst into the box from the left, delivering a cross that was met by English midfielder Josh Braunheil. Dams attempted to clear, but inadvertently steered the ball into his own net, costing his team two points.

Weak Spot

The mistake sparked a fierce backlash from Saudi and Arab football figures, who labeled him a weak link and unworthy of a club of Al Ahli’s stature.

Khaled Al-Attawi, a former Saudi youth national team coach, said: “Dams is not at the level expected of Al Ahli; he’s registered as a foreigner, but he does not add value.”

He added: “He is a liability in the squad, with frequent errors; any opponent aiming to threaten Al Ahli will seek him out.”

Egyptian legend Ahmed Hossam “Mido” echoed the sentiment: “He’s not at the level of Al Ahli, and his experience is far from sufficient.”

“It’s obvious his personality is weak; his nervousness shows,” Mido continued, arguing that his demeanor doesn’t resemble that of a club as big as Al Ahli.

Mistakes Don’t Stop

Since arriving in the winter window, Dams has fallen into a sequence of individual errors that have cost his team goals and matches, or nearly did so.

His first blunder came just 48 seconds into his first appearance against Al Sadd on February 3, during the seventh round of the group stage of the Elite AFC Champions League. Al Sadd needed only 48 seconds to score through Akram Afif, a shot that squeezed under the goalkeeper after a loose clearance by Dams from the left flank.

That error was followed two weeks later, on February 17 against Al-Gharafa, in the eighth and final round of the group stage. Early in the second minute, Dams touched a cross with his hand inside the box, earning a penalty that Josilo converted at the sixth minute.

In May, Dams added another blemish with an own goal against Al Khaleed at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, in the league’s late stages.

Dams’ Tears

The standout moment of his Al Ahli tenure came in September when the Belgian left-back broke into tears after being substituted in the 68th minute of a match against Pyramids in the Africa–Asia–Pacific Cup. Jaissle had started him, but Dams failed to influence the game and became the focal point of the team’s defensive frailties.

His errors have continued to pile up, with a late disallowed goal and other nervy displays prompting questions about whether he can ever fit the demands of a club of Al Ahli’s scale.

Substitutes for Dams

Strangely, Jaissle persists with Dams as a regular starter, despite the repeated lapses that many believe could cost titles. Al Ahli do have other options in the squad, including left-back Zakaria Houssawi, on loan from Al Raed, and Abd Alilah Al-Kheibri, who joined on a permanent basis. The side also released Saad Al-Balheed last summer, a decision that underscores the squad’s ongoing balancing act.

Ultimately, the coach will need to reassess his choice at left-back to avoid bigger errors that could jeopardize Al Ahli’s hopes for silverware.

Punchline time: If defending were a video game, Dams would still be stuck on the tutorial level—boss fights, yet somehow he keeps hitting reset. And as for the team’s strategy, let’s hope the next update doesn’t patch the bugs with a bigger bug spray.

Punchline 2: They say a good defender is invisible; with Dams, he’s so visible that even the ball is asking for a self-defense lawyer.