Al-Ahli Jeddah vs Guimaraes

Guimaraes needed only nine minutes to break the deadlock. Forward Samu struck first, capitalising on a defensive lapse to slot home and put the Portuguese side ahead. Four minutes later, Thiago Balieiro doubled the lead with a composed finish, and the game looked beyond Al-Ahli by the 25th minute when Miguel Maga added a third — all three goals arriving inside a 16-minute window.

Al-Ahli, who started with many of their key players according to Goal.com, were a different side after the interval. Manager Matthias Jaissle made a raft of substitutions, and the changes paid immediate dividends. Brazilian forward Matheus Gonçalves pulled one back just 46 seconds into the second half, scoring in the 46th minute to give Al-Ahli a foothold.

Despite sustained pressure, Al-Ahli could not find a second goal. Guimaraes held firm, and the match finished 3-1.

Samu's 9th-minute opener. Al-Ahli had barely settled into the contest when Guimaraes struck. The early concession forced the Saudi side onto the back foot, and Guimaraes exploited the disorganisation ruthlessly, adding two more before the half-hour mark. The game was effectively over before Al-Ahli's half-time reshuffle could take effect.

• Samu (Guimaraes) — Scored the opener, set the tempo for Guimaraes' first-half dominance, and led the press from the front. Player of the match.
• Thiago Balieiro (Guimaraes) — A well-taken goal in the 13th minute doubled the lead and demonstrated the Brazilian's finishing quality in the box.
• Miguel Maga (Guimaraes) — Made it 3-0 with a clinical finish; part of a midfield that dominated the first half.
• Matheus Gonçalves (Al-Ahli Jeddah) — Scored the consolation within a minute of the restart, offering Al-Ahli a brief spark. His movement and sharpness stood out after the break.

Given the limited statistical data available for this friendly, the scoreline tells the clearest story. Guimaraes' three goals in 25 minutes reflects a first-half performance of clinical efficiency, while Al-Ahli's early second-half response through Gonçalves suggests the half-time tactical adjustments — and the introduction of fresh legs — had the desired effect. The lack of cards on either side is typical of a pre-season friendly; both teams prioritised minutes and fitness over aggression.

For Al-Ahli, this is their second defeat in three pre-season friendlies in Portugal, following a 4-1 loss to Holstein Kiel in Austria earlier in their camp (Goal.com). Their only win came in an 8-0 thrashing of Austrian side Saalfelden, and they also drew 2-2 with Rio Ave. The result adds to growing concern among fans, who fear parallels with rivals Al-Ittihad — the reigning champions at the time stumbled in pre-season last year and finished fifth in the Saudi league (Goal.com).

Al-Ahli also suffered an injury scare. Midfielder Saleh Abu Al-Shamat was stretchered off midway through the second half after a heavy collision with a Guimaraes player, according to Goal.com and Koora Break. Left-back Zakaria Hawsawi had already been sidelined by injury in the previous friendly against Holstein Kiel.

New signing Naif Masoud made his unofficial debut for Al-Ahli, introduced in the 65th minute (Koora Break).

For Guimaraes, the victory continues a solid pre-season build-up ahead of their Liga Portugal campaign, which opens against Arouca on 8 August.

Al-Ahli continue their Portugal training camp with friendlies against Portimonense and Fulham before returning to Saudi Arabia for the start of the Saudi Pro League season, where they face Al Diriyah on 13 August.

A routine pre-season win for Guimaraes, who played through Al-Ahli's defensive frailties in a ruthless first half. The Saudi side improved after the break but the damage was done. Al-Ahli's bigger concern is the mounting injury list — losing Abu Al-Shamat for any length of time would compound a pre-season that has yielded more questions than answers.