Al Riyadh vs Al-Gharafa

Al Riyadh took the lead early through Victor Lekhal in the 13th minute, capitalising on a well-worked move to put the Saudi Pro League side ahead. The score remained 1-0 at half-time, with Al Riyadh looking the sharper of the two sides in the opening period.

Al-Gharafa emerged stronger after the break. Florin Coman equalised in the 55th minute, finishing calmly to bring the Qatari side level. Six minutes later, former Algeria international Yassine Brahimi converted a penalty to put Al-Gharafa 2-1 ahead — a swift turnaround that put the Saudis on the back foot.

Mamadou Silla restored parity for Al Riyadh in the 71st minute, completing the scoring at 2-2. Neither side could find a winner in the final 20 minutes, leaving the match as a useful workout for both squads.

Al-Gharafa's quickfire double inside six minutes — Coman's 55th-minute equaliser followed by Brahimi's 61st-minute penalty — flipped the match on its head. Having trailed for most of the first half, the Qatari side's response demonstrated their quality in the final third, even if they could not hold onto the lead.

• Victor Lekhal (Al Riyadh) — opened the scoring with a well-taken finish in the 13th minute and led the attacking line with energy throughout.
• Mamadou Silla (Al Riyadh) — scored the crucial equaliser in the 71st minute, his second goal of the pre-season campaign after also netting against Politehnica earlier in the Austrian camp.
• Florin Coman (Al-Gharafa) — the Romanian winger sparked the Al-Gharafa fightback with a composed finish and was a constant threat down the left flank.
• Yassine Brahimi (Al-Gharafa) — coolly dispatched the penalty to put his side ahead; his experience was evident in the build-up play.

Player of the Match: Florin Coman (Al-Gharafa) — his equaliser changed the momentum of the game and he created multiple chances.

The 2-2 scoreline accurately reflected a balanced contest. Al Riyadh controlled the first half and deserved their lead, while Al-Gharafa dominated the second-half period between the 55th and 71st minutes. The match featured no cards or disciplinary issues, typical of a pre-season friendly focused on fitness and tactical work rather than competitive intensity. Both sides rotated heavily — Al Riyadh were in the final match of their Austrian training camp, while Al-Gharafa were midway through their Slovakia-based preparations.

For Al Riyadh, this was the final match of their pre-season camp in Austria following a 1-0 win over Romanian side Politehnica earlier in the camp. The Saudi Pro League side will now return to Saudi Arabia to complete their preparations ahead of the 2026-27 season opener against Al-Ettifaq on 14 August 2026.

Al-Gharafa continue their pre-season schedule with further friendlies against Sharjah (UAE) on 30 July and Dubai United (UAE) on 2 August 2026, as part of their Slovakia-based training camp.

A productive run-out for both sides. Al Riyadh showed good early-season sharpness through Lekhal and Silla, while Al-Gharafa's second-half response — particularly through Coman and Brahimi — highlighted their attacking depth. The draw was a fair result in a match where fitness and rotation took priority over result.