Elite U21 Showdown: Ettifaq Stretches Lead as Ittihad Keeps Up, A 3-3 Thriller Rocks the Weekend
26 November 2025
Week in Review: Ettifaq Extends Lead, Ittihad Closes In
Al Ettifaq widened their cushion at the top of the Elite Under-21 League following a standout performance in Round 7, reinforcing their title bid with a solid away win.
They defeated visiting Al Qadisiyah 3-1, overturning an early setback when Bader Al-Omair struck for Qadisiyah in the 11th minute. Jalal Al-Salem equalized in the 24th, and Al Ettifaq then pulled ahead through two goals from Ziad Al-Ghamdi and Faris Al-Ghamdi to seal the verdict.
That victory lifted Ettifaq to 21 points, maintaining a perfect record through seven fixtures and keeping them clear at the summit.
In second place, Al Ittihad continued their chase by beating Al Fateh 2-0 away. The visitors’ goals came from Adnan Al-Bashri in the 22nd minute and Abdulrahman Al-Obaid in the 69th, as the Maghreb Tigers tightened their grip on the runner-up spot with six wins and a single draw, while Fateh stayed ninth on 13 points.
Elsewhere, Al Nassr edged Riyadh 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Asim Mohammed, lifting the Red and Black to 18 points and third place, while Riyadh remained fifteenth with seven points.
The weekend also delivered a nine-goal thriller as Al Gulf and Al Hilal fought to a 3-3 draw. Abdulrahman Al-Tariki opened the scoring for Gulf, Mohammed Zaid levelled for Hilal, and Luay Al-Obeidi put Hilal ahead before a dramatic late rise from Gulf, including Abdulhameed Al-Khathami’s 3-3 equalizer in stoppage time.
That result kept both sides in the mix as the title race intensified, with Hilal moving to 14 points and Gulf to 7, while other results reshaped the mid-table battles.
In another tight affair, Al Akhdood won away at Al Adalah 1-0 courtesy of a late strike by Abdullah Al-Ajaian, and Al Hazm beat Al Arabi 2-0 thanks to goals from Hatim Al-Hazmi and Hassan Idris, boosting their positions in the middle of the pack. Al Riad and Al Najmah also registered important results as the week’s action rolled on, while Al Ahli and Al Wehda traded blows in a tense clash that ended with both sides split points.
Towards the bottom end, Al Faisaly edged Al Taawon out of a relegation scrap, and Al Qaisoum’s campaign continued to stumble as they found themselves cut adrift in the drop zone. The table now shows Ettifaq on 21, Al Ittihad on 19, Nassr on 18, and a cluster of clubs fighting to avoid the bottom moments of the season.
Table snapshot (top to bottom): 1. Al Ettifaq — 21 points; 2. Al Ittihad — 19; 3. Al Nassr — 18; 4. Al Taawon — 16; 5. Al Hazm — 16; 6. Al Akhdood — 16; 7. Al Hilal — 14; 8. Al Fayha — 13; 9. Al Fateh — 13; 10. Neom — 10; 11. Al Najmah — 9; 12. Al Jabalin — 9; 13. Al Qadisiyah — 8; 14. Al Gulf — 7; 15. Riyadh — 7; 16. Al Ahli — 7; 17. Al Arabi — 6; 18. Al Adalah — 6; 19. Al Wehda — 6; 20. Al Riad — 6; 21. Damak — 5; 22. Al Shabab — 3; 23. Al Khulood — 3; 24. Al Bukairiya — 1.
In the race for the golden boot, Bassem Al-Areeni of Al Taawon leads with six goals, closely followed by Ameer and Ameer Bilal's challengers from Al Ittihad and other contenders on five or four goals apiece. Six teams also boasted clean sheets, including Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Akhdood, Al Fayha, Al Hazm, and Al Nassr, underscoring a week of tight defenses amid the goal-laden battles.
For fans keen to catch the action, you can watch the U21 matches on StcTV via this link: https://watch.stctv.com/e/fcu21
Standings and Key Stats
The seventh round produced a flurry of key results that kept the title fight wide open. Ettifaq sit top with 21 points, followed by a tight chase from Al Ittihad (19) and Al Nassr (18). The rest of the table is a blend of mid-table battles, with several teams breathing down each other’s necks as the season progresses.
Top scorers and clean sheets provided the headlines beyond the goal rush, while the coming matchdays promise more drama, more drama, and more chances to talk about who will lift the trophy come season’s end. If football ever looked like a rollercoaster, this is it—minus the safety harness, plus the drama mask.
And yes, if your fantasy team isn’t laughing, it’s probably because my analysis is too busy laughing at itself. Sniper-level precision, but the jokes still shoot wide—note to self: aim for the back of the net, not the punchline.
Punchline time: If wit scored goals, I’d be topping the table—likely with a slam-dunk header from the edge of the box. Punchline 2: My tactical notes read like a magician’s trick—now you see the offside, now you don’t; the crowd goes wild, and so does the referee’s whistle.
