Englishman Des Buckingham, manager of Al-Kholoud, expressed his immense joy at his team's important victory over Al-Shabab in their match in the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League. This win boosted the team's morale at a crucial stage of the competition.

In the press conference held after the end of the match, Buckingham revealed that this victory coincided with a special personal occasion, saying: "I am very happy with this victory which came on my birthday, making it a special memory. We worked with all our strength and energy during the past period and specifically during the preparation for this match, and therefore I extend my sincere thanks to all the players for their effort and sacrifices on the field.".

The English coach addressed the strategy the coaching staff is following for the upcoming phase, indicating that the work is not limited to the starting lineup but extends to preparing all team members. He explained, "We are working diligently to prepare all players to be fully ready for the remainder of the season's competitions. We are continuing the hard work we began at the start of the league, and our goal is to maintain an upward trajectory that serves the team's best interests.".

Buckingham concluded his remarks by emphasizing the team's full awareness of the set goals, noting the challenges they face in completing the training sessions with the appropriate number of players, adding: "Ultimately, we are fully aware of the goals we are striving to achieve, and we will fight to reach them.".

The importance of winning and its impact on the standings

This victory is of utmost importance to Al-Kholoud team, as the team succeeded in collecting three valuable points that raised its tally to 19 points, to occupy the fourteenth position in the Roshan League standings, equal in points with its opponent in this match, Al-Shabab team, which occupies the thirteenth position, superior only by goal difference.

This victory comes at a time when Saudi football is witnessing tremendous development and fierce competition on all fronts, with the Roshan League becoming a focus of global attention. Winning against a team of Al-Shabab's stature and history is a significant morale booster for Al-Kholoud's players, confirming the ability of a newly promoted team (or one competing in the mid-table) to challenge and even trouble the established giants. This reflects the improved technical and tactical level under Buckingham's leadership.

Technical readings indicate that the close points in the middle and lower parts of the standings will make the upcoming rounds like cup matches, as Al-Kholoud seeks to secure its position and move away from the danger zones, taking advantage of the high morale it gained from this tactical victory with a clean goal.

The Spanish coach of Al Shabab, Imanol Alguacil, expressed his great confidence in the capabilities of international defender Ali Al-Bulaihi, who recently joined the ranks of "Al-Laith" during the last winter transfer period, despite the negative result that ended the team’s match against Al-Kholoud.

Al-Ghuwasil's comments on Al-Bulaihi's performance

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Alguacil defended his new defender, emphasizing that Al-Bulaihi possesses a wealth of experience and an exceptional ability to read the game – qualities not easily found on the pitch. The Spanish coach explained that what Al-Bulaihi currently needs is more playing time to regain his full technical and physical fitness and deliver the best version of himself that Saudi fans have come to expect.

The scenario of the match of eternity and the disallowed goal

The match saw Ali Al-Bulaihi make a strong attempt to make an immediate impact with his new team, and he did manage to score a goal for Al-Shabab. However, his joy was short-lived as the referee intervened and disallowed the goal. Despite the loss, Al-Shabab's coach emphasized that signing Al-Bulaihi was a "great acquisition" for the team, describing him as a top player who will add a lot to the dressing room and the team's defense in upcoming matches.

A distinguished career and international experience

Al-Ghuwasil's praise stems from Ali Al-Bulaihi's illustrious career in Saudi football. The player, who joined from Al-Hilal, boasts a long history of local and continental achievements and championships, in addition to his extensive international experience with the Saudi national team, where he was a key player in the Green Falcons' participation in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This accumulated experience is what Al-Shabab's coaching staff is relying on to fine-tune the defense and guide the young players on the pitch.

Deal details and future prospects

It is worth noting that Al-Shabab's management officially announced the signing of Ali Al-Bulaihi on loan from their Riyadh rivals, Al-Hilal, extending his contract with the "Sheikh of Clubs" until the end of the current 2025/2026 season. Al-Shabab fans hope that Al-Bulaihi will successfully instill his winning mentality and fighting spirit, for which he is known, in his new teammates, contributing to improving the team's position in the league standings and competing strongly in the remaining matches of the season.

Chelsea strengthened their position in the safe zone and their bid for European qualification by climbing to fifth place in the Premier League table, following a comfortable and deserved 3-1 victory over struggling bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. The match saw a remarkable performance from young star Cole Palmer, who stole the show by scoring all three of his team's goals (a hat-trick).

Chelsea's goals all came in the first half, with Palmer opening the scoring in the 13th minute from the penalty spot. He added a second from another penalty in the 35th minute, before completing his hat-trick with a well-placed shot in the 38th minute, effectively sealing the victory for the London side. Meanwhile, Nigerian striker Tululashi Emmanuel Arokodari scored a consolation goal for the home side in the 54th minute.

With this valuable victory, the Blues raised their tally to 43 points, tightening the noose on their rivals, as the gap is now only one point behind Manchester United, and four points behind Liverpool in sixth place, which ignites the struggle for the places qualifying for the Champions League and the Europa League in the remaining rounds of the competition, and reflects the remarkable development in Chelsea’s attacking performance.

In a related development in the title race, Aston Villa failed to capitalize on the opportunity to climb to second place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth. Villa took the lead through Morgan Rodgers in the 22nd minute, but the visitors equalized through Brazilian midfielder Ryan in the 55th minute, leaving Villa to drop two valuable points in the title race.

In the relegation battle, West Ham secured a crucial victory against Burnley, winning 2-0. This win breathed new life into the Hammers, lifting them to 18th place with 23 points, while Burnley's situation worsened as they remain stuck on 15 points, making them one of the teams most likely to be relegated from the Premier League.

In another dramatic match, Everton turned the tables on their host Fulham, converting a deficit into a thrilling 2-1 victory. Fulham took the lead first with an own goal scored by Ukrainian Vitaliy Mykolenko in the 18th minute, but Everton came back in the second half and equalized through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 76th minute, before sealing the match with a second goal that also came as an own goal scored by goalkeeper Bernd Leno in the 83rd minute, snatching three valuable points for the Toffees.