Ivan Toni Takes Center Stage: A Cup Run That Has Al Ahli Fans Smiling Through the Pain

Toni: The Cup King Without Rival

The English striker Ivan Toni stole the spotlight again with an exceptional performance as Al Ahli edged past Al Qadsiyah to reach the King’s Cup quarterfinals, redefining the center-forward role and placing German coach Matthias Jaissle in a delicate position before management and fans.

The match, tied at the end of regulation and extra time at 3-3, was decided by penalties 5-4, with Toni delivering a crucial 35th-minute goal from the spot to close the gap after Al Ahli had trailed by two, igniting the home crowd and paving the path to qualification.

Numbers Don't Lie

Toni topped the cup's scoring chart with five goals, ahead of Mexican Julian Quinones of Al Qadsiyah on four.

He lifted his total tournament tally to six this edition, while SofaScore recorded a goal roughly every 60 minutes and rated him 7.93 out of 10.

He also extended his tally of penalties in Al Ahli colors to 19 successes from 19 attempts.

Jaissle's Dilemma

This form is putting Jaissle in a tight spot, with whispers that the coach wants Faris Al-Breikan as the primary striker and leaks suggesting non-renewal or sale of Toni this summer.

Yet Toni answered on the pitch, proving that he is more than a goals machine: his presence in the box creates space and tactical advantages, making him indispensable despite criticism.

Saudi outlet Al-Youm recently reported that Toni's recent form has the club reassessing his future and determined to keep him, even amid interest from English clubs; the friction appears to be about how he is used.

Punchline 1: If Toni keeps scoring at this rate, the goalpost might need a restraining order against his shots.

Punchline 2: When Toni shoots, defenders file a complaint with the referee—too many goals, not enough heaven for their egos.