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Roberto Firmino scored six minutes into his Saudi league debutFormer Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino scored a debut hat-trick in the opening game of the Saudi Pro League season as Al-Ahli beat Al-Hazm.
He headed in a cross and then slotted in at the back post after a great ball from former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez after 10 minutes.
The Brazilian bundled in a third after his initial header was saved.
Al-Hazm had briefly made it 2-1 with Vina lobbing Edouard Mendy after the keeper had gifted him the ball.
Firmino, Mahrez and ex-Chelsea keeper Mendy were three of the many big names who have moved to the Saudi Pro League for this new season.
The weekend's other games are spread over the next three days.
Al-Ahli and Al-Hazm were the top two in the Saudi second tier last season, winning promotion. Al-Ahli were one of four teams taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund this summer, and have recruited heavily, but Al-Hazm do not have any household names.
Former Roma defender Roger Ibanez, ex-Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie and former Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin were among the other players making their Saudi league debuts for Al-Ahli.
Line-ups
Al-Ahli
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Mendy
- 27Majrashi
- 3Ibañez da Silva
- 37HindiBooked at 87mins
- 11Alioski
- 30Al Marwani Al JohaniSubstituted forAl Aliat 83'minutes
- 79KessiéSubstituted forAl Nabit Al Baqaawiat 90+2'minutes
- 7MahrezSubstituted forAl Rashidiat 66'minutes
- 9BoudebouzSubstituted forAl Majhadat 66'minutes
- 97Saint-MaximinSubstituted forAl Lajm Al Asmariat 90+2'minutes
- 10Firmino
Substitutes
- 6Al Hurayji
- 8Al Nabit Al Baqaawi
- 13Al Barakati Al Zubaidi
- 19Al Rashidi
- 22Al Sanbi
- 26Al Hamad
- 29Al Majhad
- 40Al Lajm Al Asmari
- 77Al Ali
Al-Hazm
Formation 5-3-2
- 30Dahmen
- 61Al-Otaibi
- 5TankerSubstituted forAl-Habshiat 33'minutes
- 3Al Absi
- 99Al MhemaidBooked at 20mins
- 24Al Rabei Al ShammariSubstituted forAl Absiat 70'minutes
- 6Al SayyaliSubstituted forAl Najjarat 70'minutes
- 21TraoréSubstituted forAl Thaniat 45'minutes
- 20Pinheiro de Carvalho
- 29Goes Barbosa de Souza
- 7Al ShammariBooked at 13minsSubstituted forAl Bakrat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Al Thani
- 13Al Bakr
- 14Al Absi
- 15Al Najjar
- 19Al-Habshi
- 23Zaid
- 66Al Mutairi
Referee:Khalid Saleh Al-Turais
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