Six-Goal Saudi Pro League Thriller Ends 3-3 Between Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Ettifaq
It was the kind of match that had everything — early goals, a comeback, substitutes making their mark, and nerves shredded right to the final whistle. Al-Qadisiyah FC and Al-Ettifaq served up a Saudi Pro League spectacle on Friday, September 11, 2026, finishing 3-3 in a contest that will be talked about for weeks.
Al-Qadisiyah Fly Out of the Blocks
Brendan Rodgers set his Al-Qadisiyah side up in a bold 3-5-2 formation, and they made their intentions clear almost immediately. Julián Quiñones broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, finishing off an assist from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat to give the home side an early advantage. Three minutes later, Mateo Retegui doubled the lead, converting a delivery from Christopher Bonsu Baah to leave Al-Ettifaq rattled. It looked like it could be a long afternoon for Arthur Papas's men.
Celina Pulls One Back for Al-Ettifaq
Al-Ettifaq, lined up in a 4-2-3-1, refused to buckle. Bersant Celina pulled one back in the 26th minute with an assured finish assisted by Abdoulaye Kanté, giving the visitors renewed belief heading into the break. The match had already produced yellow cards for Meshal Al Alaeli of Al-Ettifaq in the 6th minute and Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat of Al-Qadisiyah in the 22nd minute, with Yasir Shammari also booked in the 33rd minute, setting a fiery tone.
Second Half Drama Unfolds
Both managers rang in the changes at half time, and the second half proved just as explosive. Álvaro Medrán, introduced as a substitute, made an immediate impact by scoring in the 64th minute — assisted by Ondrej Duda — to level the contest at 2-2. Al-Qadisiyah responded through substitute Mohammed Al Qahtani, who restored the home side's lead in the 81st minute with a smart finish set up by Turki Al Ammar. But Al-Ettifaq had one more answer: Jordan Larsson struck in the 85th minute, assisted by Medrán, to make it 3-3 and send the game into a frantic finale.
Stats Tell the Story
The match was as intense statistically as it was on the scoreboard. Al-Qadisiyah registered two shots on target and two off target, while Al-Ettifaq matched them with two on target and one off. Al-Qadisiyah committed three fouls compared to Al-Ettifaq's one. Both sides made five substitutions each. Al-Ettifaq finished with six yellow cards — including post-match bookings for Moussa Dembélé (90+1') and Jack Hendry (90+2') — while Al-Qadisiyah collected three cautions in total.
What This Means
The draw means neither side claims maximum points from what was a highly winnable game for both at different stages. Al-Qadisiyah will feel the sting of surrendering a lead twice, while Al-Ettifaq can take heart from their resilience and ability to find a response each time. A point apiece keeps the Saudi Pro League standings tight, and both clubs will need to sharpen up defensively if they want to challenge at the top this season.