From Jeddah to Tangier: Ahli's Goalkeeper Woes and Sudan's AFCON Moment
3 January 2026
From Jeddah to Tangier: Ahli's Goalkeeper Woes and Sudan's AFCON Moment
Ahli Saudi FC fans missed their starting goalkeeper, Senegal's Edward Mendy, after he was replaced by Abdulrahman Al-Saibi who delivered a soft goal in the Saudi Classic against Al-Nassr.
Ahli edged Al-Nassr 3-2 on Friday in the 13th round of the Saudi Pro League, but the opening strike he conceded from long range—slipping between the keeper's legs—left the home crowd rueing the day Mendy might return with his national team for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Less than 24 hours later, Sudan would score in the tournament for the first time against Senegal thanks to Amer Abdullah.
Amer Abdullah's sixth-minute rocket found the far top corner, giving Sudan a 1-0 lead in the Round of 16 at Tangier, Morocco.
This was only the second time Sudan had found the net against Senegal in the tournament, after a CHAN-level clash that ended in a positive draw before penalties.
Punchline 1: If goalkeeping were DIY, Mendy just painted the goalpost with a terrible primer—works great for comedy, not for clean sheets.
Punchline 2: In football, the only thing more unpredictable than a defense is a tweet from a referee—loads of drama, zero guarantee of truth.
