Asian champions Al Ahli set up a blockbuster Saudi Super Cup final against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr when they thrashed Al Qadsiah 5-1 in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Al Ahli celebrated the club's first ever continental title when they beat Kawasaki Frontale on home turf in Jeddah earlier this year − and they were in similarly impressive form at the Hong Kong Stadium.
Gaston Alvarez might have given Al Qadsiah an early lead with a close-range header, but Al Ahli had already looked dangerous in the opening stages and it only took them four minutes to draw level when Frank Kessie bagged the first goal of a brace.
Ivan Toney made it 2-1 when he tucked away a trademark penalty on 28 minutes before Enzo Millot, a €30 million summer signing from Stuttgart, headed his first goal for the club to put Ahli firmly in the driving seat.
Kessie put the game beyond reach with his second and Ahli's fourth in stoppage time at the end of the first half, with a Nacho own goal completing the rout and rubbing salt in Al Qadsiah's wounds just after the hour mark.
Ambitious Qadsiah might have only travelled to Hong Kong by virtue of Al Hilal's withdrawal, but they were coming off a strong season in the Saudi Pro League. They also boasted new recruits, including last season's Serie A golden boot winner Mateo Retegui, who was signed in a deal worth around €70m.
They were no match for Ahli though, who will provide a serious threat to Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of landing a first piece of silverware in Saudi football with Al Nassr.
Nassr qualified for the final with an impressive victory of their own – a 2-1 win over reigning Saudi champions Al Ittihad on Tuesday.
Ex-Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane put Al Nassr ahead before Al Ittihad struck back through former PSV, Ajax and Tottenham player Steven Bergwijn.
Mane was sent off after 25 minutes following a VAR review, but 10-man Nassr went on to win thanks to Portugal stars Ronaldo and Joao Felix.
The former teed up the latter, a summer recruit from Chelsea, to score the decisive goal.
The Saudi Super Cup final takes place on Saturday at the Hong Kong Stadium (4pm UAE time).
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Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
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The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
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PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
