RIYADH: Kings League MENA Split 1 completed its third matchday in Riyadh with another night of action at Cool Arena that produced a mix of closely fought finishes and commanding victories.
Ultra Chmicha and FWZ strengthened their positions at the top of the table, while defending champions DR7 and Turbo both secured their first wins of the season. It was the highest-scoring Split 1 matchday to date, with 55 goals across the five matches.
Saudi Arabia’s DR7 claimed their first win of Split 1, backed by a huge home crowd. Drb7h’s men finally prevailed over Moroccan side Bakhira FC, who are led by Ashraf Sabiri and superstar content creator Younes Zarou. Nick Salihamidzic, son of legendary Bosnia and Bayern Munich player Hasan Salihamidzic, scored two goals from midfield for Bakhira, but it wasn’t enough to beat a determined DR7. Inspired by an MVP performance from Saudi national futsal team star Abdullah Al-Aqeeli, DR7 won the game in a shootout, after it finished 5-5 in normal time.
Ilyas Elmaliki’s Ultra Chmicha extended their perfect start to Split 1 with a thumping 10-2 victory over AboFlah’s ABO FC, their third consecutive win. Match MVP Walid Jaadi was the standout performer for the Moroccan team with three goals. Ilyas Elmaliki scored his President Penalty — taken by team’s leader — on his first visit to Cool Arena this split. The result keeps Ultra Chmicha at the top of the table with a massive +16 goal difference, ahead of Fwaz’s FWZ, who are also on three wins.
FWZ, who have a +7 goal difference, comfortably beat Al-Shehri’s Rising Peaks with a 7-4 scoreline. Fwaz scored his second President Penalty of the season on the way to the victory as his team kept its perfect start.
In the first game of the evening, Egypt’s Turbo secured their first victory of Split 1 with a dramatic comeback against Jordan’s 3BS, overturning a 4-1 deficit. The encounter saw both Team Presidents, Tarboun (Turbo) and Absi (3BS), convert their President Penalties, before Turbo completed their comeback in a tense finish.
During Matchball Mode – the decisive period of Kings League matches after the 36th minute – Khaled Abbas squandered a chance to win the game for 3BS by missing a penalty. Turbo, who had come into the game off back-to-back defeats, went straight up the field and scored the winning goal, through Islam Ahmed, to seal their first victory of the season.
In game two, Jordan’s Red Zone secured their second win of Split 1 in another dramatic comeback, eventually triumphing 7- 6 over Saudi Arabia’s RA2. The game started with disaster for Red Zone as goalkeeper Camila Gaviria was sent off inside the first minute for handling the ball outside his area. Maherco’s men showed resilience to hang on but the game looked to be slipping away from them when RA2 went 6-4 up in the 33rd minute.
In an incredible finish, Red Zone then missed a Secret Card shootout before going on to score three unanswered goals to win. Red Zone co-president, the content creator Ali Mousa, scored his second President Penalty of the season during the game.
Kings League MENA Split 1 continues on Monday, Sept. 28, with Matchday 4 at Cool Arena, as all 10 teams return to action in the round-robin league stage of the competition.
