Youssef En-Nesyri has perfectly launched his season in the Saudi Pro League. The Moroccan international scored the first goal for Al-Ittihad during the 1-1 draw at home against Al-Kholood on Saturday, marking the opening day of the Saudi championship.
Starting at the forefront of the attack, the Atlas Lion found the back of the net in the 43rd minute. From a cross delivered from the right side by Ahmed Al-Julaidan, En-Nesyri outjumped the opposing defense to place a precise header beyond the goalkeeper’s reach. This allowed his team to head into the locker room with a one-goal advantage.
This goal came just minutes after a missed penalty by Houssem Aouar. The Algerian midfielder saw his attempt saved by Hamed Al-Shanqiti in the 32nd minute. En-Nesyri thus took it upon himself to capitalize on Al-Ittihad’s dominance by scoring the club’s first goal of the new season.
However, Al-Kholood equalized in the 52nd minute with a header from Julien Domingues. The situation then became complicated for Al-Ittihad with the direct red card shown to Danilo Pereira in the 58th minute. Reduced to ten men, the Jeddah team was unable to regain the lead and had to settle for a point.
Substituted in the 82nd minute, En-Nesyri nonetheless starts his 2026-2027 campaign on a positive note. Already decisive during the pre-season with an assist against Al-Jazira, the Moroccan forward confirms his importance in Al-Ittihad’s offensive line by opening his scoring account on the very first day.
