Mendy’s Injury Shocks Al-Ahli Ahead of High-Stakes Al-Shabab Showdown

Injury shocks Al-Ahli ahead of Shabab showdown

Al-Ahli were dealt a heavy blow before their Saudi Pro League clash with Al-Shabab, as Senegal’s goalkeeper Edward Mendy sustained an injury.

Saudi daily Al-Riyadiyah, citing Le Quotidien, reported that Mendy picked up the issue during the current international break with Senegal.

Mendy started the 5-0 win over South Sudan in the AFCON qualifiers, but picked up a knock in the first half and finished the match, before being taken to hospital for tests to determine the extent of the problem.

Impact on the national team and Al-Ahli

Senegal are likely to be without Mendy for their last qualifier against Mauritania, which would be a blow to a side that leads Group B with 21 points, two ahead of Congo.

His absence would hit Al-Ahli hardest, as the 2023 signing from Chelsea has been the club’s first-choice keeper and has shone this season.

Mendy's form and the potential absence

In nine league appearances this season, he has conceded 13 goals and kept three clean sheets. His best period came in September, when he was named Best Goalkeeper in the Saudi league.

Last month he played four league games, conceding three goals — all in a 3-3 thriller with Al-Hilal — but keeping a clean sheet in the other three: Neom (1-0), Al-Hazm (2-0) and Ettifaq (0-0).

That makes him the only keeper with three clean sheets in three matches this season and keeps him in the Golden Glove race, a competition he arguably led last season before losing to Koen Castels.

He only missed one Al-Ahli game this season—the 5-0 King Cup win over Al-Arabi—and Abdulrahman Al-Sanabi started in his place.

Gaps and the AFCON schedule

Al-Ahli worry about losing Mendy early as Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco could keep him out from late December to January. The AFCON runs from December 21 to January 18; if Senegal reach the final, he would be sidelined for the full period.

During that window, Al-Ahli have a busy fixture list in the Saudi Pro League against Al-Fateh, Al-Fayha, Al-Nassr, Al-Akhdoud, Al-Taawoun and Al-Kholoud, plus a possible AFC Champions League group match against Al-Shorta of Iraq in the knockout stage. The club could also rely on Abdulrahman Al-Sanabi if needed, as he started when Mendy was absent in the King’s Cup earlier.

Chasing revenge vs Al-Shabab

The injury comes just days before Al-Ahli’s October schedule kicks off with a revenge mission against Al-Shabab on October 17 in Jeddah. Al-Ahli sit seventh in the table with eight points from two wins and two draws, having beaten Neom (1-0), drawn with Ettifaq (0-0), drawn with Al-Hilal (3-3) and beaten Al-Hazm (2-0).

Al-Shabab, meanwhile, are struggling in 12th with four points from one win, one draw and two losses, eager to snatch a result and climb back into the race.

For Al-Ahli, the aim is to bounce back quickly and prove the doubters wrong after last season’s heavy loss to the same opponents.