Al-Wehda Knock Out Al-Shabab from King's Cup in Dramatic Three-Goal Thriller
Three penalties, an early red card, and two extra-time periods of drama the story of how Al-Wehda edged past Al-Shabab in the Round of 32 of the King's Cup
Al-Wehda booked their place in the Round of 16 of the King's Cup after a dramatic 3-2 win over Al-Shabab, in a match packed with twists and turning points that needed two periods of extra time to be settled, with the referee awarding three penalties two of them coming in the second period of extra time.
Early Red Card Turns the Tide
Al-Shabab suffered an early setback that shaped the course of the match, after defender Carlos Junior was sent off in the 33rd minute for picking up two yellow cards within 25 minutes, leaving his side to play the majority of the game with ten men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Al-Shabab did not take long to respond. Mourad Khadari opened the scoring just ten minutes after the red card, with a low, close-range finish, capitalizing on a cross delivered by Saad Al-Qahtani.
Al-Wehda's Response and the First Penalty
Al-Wehda refused to give up, first testing the woodwork and the goalkeeper with a direct free kick that was denied, before earning their golden opportunity from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, after a handball was called inside the box. Yannick Carrasco stepped up and converted, restoring parity for his side.
The score remained unchanged until the final whistle of regulation time, sending both teams into extra time to decide who would advance.
Morato's Goal Puts Al-Wehda Ahead in the First Period of Extra Time
Right from the first minute of the first period of extra time, defender Morato put Al-Wehda back in front with a powerful strike from outside the box that deflected off an Al-Shabab defender before finding the net — a goal that carried a fair share of luck but gave his side a crucial psychological edge before the match's conclusion.
Drama in the Second Period of Extra Time and Two Decisive Penalties
The match was still far from settled. In the 113th minute, the referee awarded a second penalty, this time in Al-Shabab's favor, after a challenge on Carrasco inside the area. Josh Brownhill stepped up and scored, leveling the match once again.
Then, in the closing minutes of the second period of extra time, with the match heading toward a penalty shootout, the referee pointed to the spot for the third time in the match — this time for Al-Wehda, following another handball. Darwin Gonzalez stepped up and converted successfully, handing his side the winning goal and securing qualification in the dying moments.
Al-Wehda Continue Their Cup Run
With this dramatic 3-2 victory, Al-Wehda have set up a Round of 16 clash in the King's Cup, following a match that had every element of drama: an early red card, four goals, three penalties, and two periods of extra time that decided qualification in the final minutes. Al-Shabab, meanwhile, exit the tournament despite fighting with ten men for the majority of the contest.
