Round 9 Revelations: Salem Al-Dosari’s 200th Pro League Appearance and a Night of Penalties in Saudi Roshen
24 November 2025
Milestones and penalties collide in Round 9
Round 9 of the Roshen Saudi Pro League brought a cascade of notable numbers and memorable results, as players and clubs produced a night worth talking about. At the center of the headlines was Salem Al-Dosari, the captain of Al-Hilal, who reached a historic 200th appearance in the Saudi Pro League—the first player to hit that mark in the competition.
No one had ever reached this many appearances in the league, sealing Dosari’s place in the record books after more than a decade of top-flight action. In the same match that underscored his milestone, Al-Hilal defeated Al-Fateh and, to the astonishment of many observers, the team registered the league’s biggest concession of penalties in a single game this season, earning 16 spot-kicks with 11 converted and 5 missed.
In another notable result, Al-Ahli beat Al-Qadsiah 2-1, according to Opta, and did so despite their players touching the ball inside the opponent’s penalty area only five times—an unusually sparse figure that hasn’t been seen since a January clash between Riyadh clubs. This win marked Al-Ahli’s first league triumph with so few touches in the penalty area, a striking reminder that efficiency can trump volume.
Fast substitute and family of records
Fast substitute You could call Abdullah Al-Salem of Al-Qadsiah the season’s speedster, as he became the quickest substitute to score in this Pro League campaign, striking only 26 seconds after coming on the field.
Own goals and Ronaldo’s milestone The round also highlighted ongoing benefit from own goals, with Al-Ittihad extending its reach in the own-goal tally in the league’s history. Ronaldo’s continued dominance against Gulf opponents shone again as he reached five goals against them, adding to six direct contributions in the same fixtures and hitting a career milestone with goal number 954 of his professional career.
Al-Nassr continued their undefeated run against Gulf teams, extending a stretch to eight matches with seven wins and a single draw. The round did not spare the other big names from drama, as Al-Shabab endured seven winless matches in a row, tying their longest drought in recent history with a mix of four draws and three defeats.
Firsts and form in Round 9
The ninth round also produced first goals for several prominent Roshen stars. Moroccan forward Abderrazak Hamdallah of Al-Shabab opened his scoring account for the season in a draw with Al-Akhod. Khaled Nari of Al-Akhod scored his first goal of the campaign, mirroring the season’s early form for Morad Hosawi of Al-Khaleej and Mokwana (wording adapted for clarity) of Al-Hazm as they found the back of the net for the first time this term. In a match that reflected the round’s broader narrative, Union of teams such as Al-Ittihad celebrated their first league win under coach Sergio Conceição after a run of four winless games, finally breaking through with a victory that had eluded them for weeks.
Ben Zima on the comeback Karim Benzema returned to the scoresheet with a goal for Al-Ittihad, bringing his season tally to 34 goals while contributing to 50 goal involvements overall (he also provided 16 assists, according to the league’s official stat account). The round’s results reshaped the standings, with Neom’s draw against Al-Taawoun trimming the gap at the top and underscoring the tight race for the podium spots as the season advances.
Closing notes As the round closed, Jorge Jesus’s squad continued to press their case for a strong start, with a nine-game winning streak that echoes his masterclass from 2018-2019 when he orchestrated one of the league’s best-ever starts. The round’s mood was a mix of historical milestones, shocking efficiency, and a reminder that in football, one night can rewrite a season’s expectations.
And if you thought the round was all tactic, think again: even the whistle itself seemed to have a sense of humor—it blew on cue, like a referee with a calendar full of punchlines. In the end, the Pro League reminded us that drama is seasonal, but the punchlines are perennial.
