When a single pass flips a match: Nawaf Al-Aqidi’s costly blunder shakes the Saudi Pro League
8 January 2026
Incident recap
Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the goalkeeper for Al-Nassr, dragged his team into a shockingly vulnerable moment during the clash with Al-Qadsiah on Thursday night, part of the 14th round of the Saudi Pro League. It’s a moment fans will remember for a long time.
In the 51st minute, one of the season’s quirkiest mistakes unfolded as Al-Aqidi misfired a simple pass. Al-Qadsiah took full advantage, scoring to take the lead and flip the script in an instantly memorable moment.
The moment followed a corner cleared by Al-Qadsiah’s defense, letting the ball reach Al-Aqidi on the left flank of the final third, with little immediate pressure. He attempted a short pass to a nearby teammate, but the angle was off.
The pass collided with him and rolled into the path of Julian Quinones, who seized the chance and drove it into the open net.
The goal reversed the flow of the match, at a time when Nassr had dominated possession and controlled the majority of play, intensifying the shock among the home crowd and casting doubt on the team’s form in a game that had seemed within reach.
Punchline 1: If pass accuracy were money, Al-Aqidi just filed for bankruptcy.
Punchline 2: They say football is about timing; apparently his timing took a coffee break.
Aftermath
Despite the blunder, the match offered a broader context about Al-Nassr’s control of play, and the slip became a talking point for fans and analysts alike as the team pressed to regain momentum in the league standings.
