The friendly match between Al-Ahli and its Portuguese counterpart Rio Ave ended in a 2-2 draw on Sunday evening at the Estádio dos Arcos, as part of both teams' preparations for the start of the 2026-2027 season.

Strong start for Al-Ahli: Al-Ahli started the match strongly, with Firas Al-Buraikan opening the scoring early in the third minute, before Mateus Gonçalves doubled the lead for Al-Raqi by scoring the second goal in the seventh minute, ending the first half with the Saudi team leading 2-0.

In the second half, Rio Ave managed to get back into the game, scoring two goals that brought the match back to square one, ending in a 2-2 draw.

Al-Ahli continues its preparations for the new season, having had an exceptional season in which it won the AFC Champions League Elite title, along with the Saudi Super Cup. The team aspires next season to regain the Saudi Roshn League title, which has been absent from its trophy cabinet since 2016.