Ten Days of Fire: The Young Keeper’s Derby Ordeal in Saudi Football

The Ten-Day Derby Ordeal

Hamed Al-Shenqiti, the goalkeeper for Ittihad Jeddah, endured arguably his toughest stretch in football life, though it had barely begun. Days earlier he had been shortlisted for Asia’s 2025 Best Young Player award, a sign of potential even as nerves rattled his boots. The competition included Alex Badolato of Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets, and Uzbek Serdin Hassanov of Bunyodkor, all contending for a prize that would crown the season’s breakout talent. The Riyadh ceremony last Thursday saw Badolato win, and Shenqiti’s bid fading on stage.

He vied for the prize alongside a field that underscored the rapid rise of young goalkeepers across the region, a narrative that had put Shenqiti in the spotlight and in the crosshairs of expectations. The night in Riyadh, however, shifted the focus from potential to performance, and the teenager’s journey took an abrupt turn toward what would become a defining test.

Clasico Gambit, and a Keeper’s Burden

Less than ten days later, destiny handed the 20-year-old a different script: he was named the starting goalkeeper for the Clasico against Al Hilal at Al-Inma Stadium, in Round 6 of the Saudi Pro League. The plan was to rely on Predrag Rajkovic, the team’s first-choice shot-stopper, but coach Sergio Conceicao elected to lean on two foreign teammates, Albanian Mario Metai and Malian Mamadou Doumbia, due to the league’s foreign-player restrictions.

The idea was to shield the defensive line with Shenqiti in goal, but the night proved brutal. He conceded first in an unfortunate own goal by Doumbia, who headed the ball into his own net, and then the second when a strike from Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves from outside the box deflected off a defender and landed in Shenqiti’s reach, only for Brazilian Marcus Leonardo to pounce and convert.

Conceicao’s stance followed: the second goal crushed the team’s hopes, yet he later defended the young keeper, accepting responsibility himself and expressing unwavering faith in Shenqiti. The tactical rationale, he said, involved keeping an extra foreign presence in midfield, with Neves and Savic limited in their influence that night.

Rising and Wrestling with the Big Stage

What stands out is that Shenqiti has always been tipped for high-stakes games. His rise with Ittihad began when Rajkovic sustained an injury after a 3-2 win over Al Shabab in the King's Cup semifinal in April. His first official appearance for the club came in the Derby against their arch-rivals Al Ahli on April 5, when he came on in the 69th minute and the match finished 2-2.

Thereafter, Shenqiti watched from the bench as Mohammed Al-Muhassane started, with Rajkovic returning to fitness. When Rajkovic was sidelined again after 17 minutes against Al Riadh, Shenqiti stepped in and etched his name among the squad that celebrated last season’s league title following a 3-1 win over Al Riadh. He continued to feature, though the following match vs Al Shabab saw him concede twice in a 3-2 victory.

The toughest test before the Clasico against Hilal came in another Clasico, the Saudi Super Cup semifinal against Al Nassr on August 19, with Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman scoring for the rivals; Shenqiti bore no direct responsibility for either goal.

What remains striking is that Shenqiti had appeared in only five matches since joining from Shabab in summer 2024, four of them against the four strongest league sides: Hilal, Nasr, Al Ahli, and Al Shabab, with the fifth being the title-clinching game. Across those five, he kept a clean sheet once and conceded seven goals.

Fragile Defense, Ongoing Battle

Yet Shenqiti cannot shoulder all the blame for the conceded goals, especially in a season where Ittihad’s defense has been fragile. Since the start of the campaign, the “Lions” have played six league games, conceding nine goals and keeping a single clean sheet. They have also shipped four goals in three AFC Champions League Elite matches without recording a clean sheet there either. Including cup and Super Cup fixtures, Ittihad has played 11 matches, conceding 15 goals and keeping clean sheets only twice.

Humor time: the defense might need a tune-up, and Shenqiti could borrow a calm pair of socks to wear when the crowd roars. Talent is clear, but balance—between risk, rhythm, and a defense that doesn’t audition for a horror movie—is the missing piece of the puzzle.

Punchlines: If defending were an Olympic sport, this team would still be warming up in the car park. And if goalkeeping were fashion, Shenqiti would be waiting for his pants to stop shrinking in the rain.