Triple Strike, Trophy Timing: Al-Areeny Extends U21 Scoring Lead in Saudi’s Elite League

Taawoun’s Bassem Al-Areeny Extends Scoring Lead in U21 Elite League

Taawoun’s Bassem Al-Areeny continued his dazzling form in the Saudi Arabia Under-21 Premier League, tightening his grip on the top scorer’s crown with 17 goals this season (2025-2026).

In the Round 18 fixture postponed to Najran, he scored in the 69th minute to help Taawoun beat Al Akhdood 2-0 at the latter’s stadium, adding a second strike to his tally for the night.

This was his third straight game with a goal for Taawoun, following a brace in the 2-0 win over Al Hazm in Round 17 and a hat-trick in a 4-2 win against Al Nasr in Round 19.

With four rounds left, Al-Areeny now stands at 17 goals, three ahead of Jalal Al-Salem of Al Ettifaq, who sits runners-up after scoring in Ettifaq’s 2-1 win at Al Bukayriyah.

Caption: Al-Areeny’s finish sealed Taawoun’s win and kept him clear on the chart — one more goal and he might start autographing the ball for fans. Humour: If he keeps scoring, defenders will start filing for overtime. Punchline: The only thing brighter than his finish is the stadium lights; clearly the budget for glare is increasing. And yes, goals can be contagious—consider this a goal flu season.