Semifinal reshuffle for the Al-Ahli vs Al-Hilal King’s Cup encounter
A Saudi sports daily reports a schedule change for the Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal King’s Cup semifinal, slated to take place in the tournament's last four.
The Saudi Football Federation reportedly asked the parties involved for their stance on moving the matches originally set for March 16 and 17.
The semifinal draw placed Al-Ahli against Al-Hilal in Jeddah, while Al-Ittihad was due to face Al-Khaleej in Al-Rass on March 16.
Al-Ahli advanced to the semifinals after beating Al-Qadisiyah on penalties, 5-4, and Al-Hilal defeated Al-Fateh 4-1; in the same round, Al-Ittihad beat Al-Shabab by the same score, and Al-Khaleej edged Gulf 4-3 to reach the last four.
Last edition saw Al-Ittihad lift the title after beating Al-Qadisiyah 3-1 in the final at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah. The Leader (Al-Hilal) sits atop the King’s Cup all-time list with 9 titles, followed by Al-Ahli (8), Al-Ittihad (6), Al-Nassr (5), Al-Shabab (3), Al-Ettifaq (2), and one title each for Al-Wehda, Al-Taawoun, Al-Faisaly, and Al-Fayha.
Punchline 1: If calendars had a sense of humor, they’d add extra time just to spice up the drama of a schedule change.
Punchline 2: And if the whistle could travel, it would file a calendar-wide itinerary to keep fans guessing where the next kickoff sits.
