Al-Ahli Prepares for Sundowns Challenge with Bold Lineup
Al-Ahli step into their Intercontinental Cup clash with South Africa’s Sundowns knowing this is the kind of night that defines a campaign. Not just about survival in the tournament, but about momentum, belief, and whether this squad can stand up to one of the continent’s most dynamic sides.
Marino Pusic has answered that question with his team sheet. He has gone strong, but not safe.
Bahoya thrown straight into the fire
The headline call is clear. Saeed Bahoya, a new arrival, walks straight into the expected XI at right-back for his first start. No easing-in period, no gentle introduction. A demanding tie, a high-tempo opponent, and a full debut on a stage where one mistake can tilt the whole night.
On the opposite side, the back line has a hardened look: Zakaria Hawsawi, Roger Ibanez, Merih Demiral and Bahoya in front of Edouard Mendy. It is a defence built to absorb pressure, but it cannot simply sit deep. Not against a Sundowns side that lives off space, transitions and the split-second gaps left by hesitant full-backs.
That is where Pusic’s real gamble lies.
Diaby–Atangana axis at the heart of the plan
In midfield, Ibrahim Diaby and Valentine Atangana form a double pivot that will spend the evening on a tightrope. One misstep, and Sundowns break. One clean interception, and Al-Ahli can spring forward.
Pusic is banking on their legs, their discipline and their timing. Sundowns will test them with pace between the lines and rapid switches of play. The pair must shield Demiral and Ibanez, track runners, then still have the composure to start attacks. It is a brutal workload, but without them, the whole 4-2-3-1 shape falls apart.
The idea is simple enough: keep the spine solid, let the talent higher up the pitch roam.
Trincao, Galeno, Spertsyan given freedom behind Toney
Ahead of the double pivot, Al-Ahli’s attacking trio carries the creative burden. Francisco Trincao, Galeno and Eduard Spertsyan are expected to float behind Ivan Toney, constantly searching for pockets of space to hurt Sundowns.
On paper, it is a classic 4-2-3-1. In reality, it will need to be far more fluid. Trincao drifting inside to overload midfield, Galeno driving at full-backs, Spertsyan finding angles for the final pass or the shot from distance. They must link quickly, or Toney risks becoming isolated against a set defence.
Toney’s role is unforgiving. He will be asked to occupy centre-backs, press from the front, and still be sharp enough to finish the few clear chances that might come. In a match shaped by transitions, his hold-up play could decide whether Al-Ahli can turn defence into attack or simply end up clearing their lines.
A night decided by movement and nerve
Strip away the names and reputations, and the match boils down to one word for Al-Ahli: balance.
Full-backs who dare to push on, but not so far that Sundowns can rip through the channels. Midfielders who close spaces without surrendering the ball. Attackers who press, track back, then still have the spark to create.
Sundowns will look for every gap, every lapse in concentration, every moment when Bahoya steps a yard too high or Diaby is half a second late to a challenge. Al-Ahli’s expected line-up accepts that risk and leans into it, trusting that structure and work rate can match the opponent’s pace and instinct.
If Pusic’s calls are right, this 4-2-3-1 can be the platform for a deep continental run. If they are wrong, Sundowns have all the tools to expose them.
