MW5 Talking Points: Conceicao debut drama, hat-tricks aplenty, Al Taawoun thrive | OneFootball

The Roshn Saudi League marked its return from the latest international break with a mammoth Matchweek 5.

There was a debutant in the champions’ dugout and a late penalty saved, goals galore - a record-breaking 40! - and the 2023-24 title-winners delivering a robust reminder of their enduring ability. And doing so a week out from one of Saudi Arabian football’s marquee fixtures.

So, sit back and enjoy our major takeaways from a net-busting Matchweek 5. RSL, welcome back.

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Conceicao denied dream debut

Two minutes from time into his grand Al Ittihad debut, Sergio Conceicao presumably thought the rescue act was set to complete.

The RSL champions had been 1-0 down to Al Fayha at Al Majma’ah Sports City but, not long after the hour, Ahmed Al Ghamdi pulled them level.

Al Fayha's Orlando Mosquera celebrates his late penalty save from Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema

Then, as Al Ittihad sought a late winner to give new manager Conceicao the start he craved, Karim Benzema was felled inside the Al Fayha penalty area. After a lengthy VAR consultation, Benzema stepped up, only to see his spot-kick saved by home goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera.

And so, Conceicao was deprived a victory upon introduction at Al Ittihad. By the conclusion of Matchweek 5, the title-holders had slipped to fifth, five points off leaders Al Nassr. With Al Hilal to come next in the Saudi Clasico, clearly Conceicao has work to do.

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Three the magic number

While Al Ittihad are all about the fives at the moment, three was the prevailing number this round in the race for the 2025-26 golden boot. Namely, hotshot hat-tricks.

Joao Felix got the ball rolling late on Saturday, the Al Nassr attacker bagging a second treble in five RSL appearances, this time helping his new club to a thumping 5-1 win at home to Al Fateh.

With it, Al Nassr remain at the top of the table, their 100 percent start to the league season sustained. Likewise, Felix sits at the summit of the scoring charts, with eight.

Joao Felix certainly hasn't been sleeping on his start at Al Nassr: he now has two trebles this season

Hot on his heels, though, are Joshua King and Julian Quinones. King, like Felix an RSL debutant, netted a hat-trick in Al Khaleej’s 4-1 victory at home to Al Riyadh on Sunday to make it seven for the campaign already.

Not to be outdone, Quinones notched all three goals later that night in Al Qadsiah’s statement triumph at NEOM Sports Club in the round’s closing clash, meaning the Mexico international moves third in the 2025-26 RSL for goals, with six.

Three in-form forwards, three match-balls, and the lead three places in the battle for the golden boot. Three really is the magic number.

Julian Quinones rounded off Matchweek 5 with its third hat-trick, for Al Qadsiah at NEOM SC

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Is this Al Hilal’s launchpad?

Until now, Al Hilal had been steady but not steamrollering with new manager Simone Inzaghi.

Of course, the FIFA Club World Cup was sublime, as the 2023-24 RSL champions represented the league, and the Kingdom, with distinction on the world stage.

However, when it came to the RSL, results had been less impressive. Inzaghi’s Al Hilal opened with two wins and two draws, and the feeling was that they had yet to truly ignite. Well, maybe Matchweek 5 was the round where they caught fire.

On Saturday, faced with a potentially testy trip to Al Ettifaq, Al Hilal ran out 5-0 winners. Darwin Nunez, the summer addition from Liverpool, scored twice, as did the returning Marcos Leonardo. This looked like the Al Hilal we have come to expect.

And, some would say, right on time, too. As noted, on Friday Inzaghi takes his team to Jeddah to contest his first Saudi Clasico. Between them, champions of the past six seasons, this will go a long way to seeing if either Al Hilal or Al Ittihad can quickly reel in Al Nassr at the top.

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Chamusca’s dark horses - again

Apparently, Pericles Chamusca and Al Taawoun go together like gahwa and dates. That’s right, the Brazilian returned to the Buraidah club in the summer after guiding NEOM SC to a historic promotion to the RSL, with many wondering if he could replicate the incredible fourth-placed finish of 2023-24.

So, five rounds into his comeback, Al Taawoun are third, with four wins. Their latest represented their most impressive: on Sunday, Chamusca’s side hit Damac for six, prevailing 6-1 at home – even if the visitors did finish the encounter with nine men.

What felt just as noteworthy, was that Al Taawoun had six different scorers on the night, testament to the team spirit that Chamusca had instilled almost instantly in his second spell.

Back in his second stint, Pericles Chamusca has Al Taawoun purring again

While the 5-0 opening defeat to Al Nassr implied it might take the returning manager some time to again stamp his philosophy on the team, since then Al Taawoun have been flying.

With their colourful and charismatic coach back, are they set for a repeat of two seasons ago? Or even better?

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Al Hazem up and running - finally

Saturday’s middle fixture pitted against one another two of the five clubs yet to win this season. Al Okhdood hosted new boys Al Hazem with each seeking to get off the mark and, hopefully for whoever that would be, to begin the climb up the table.

Ultimately, that honour went to the visitors to Prince Hathloul Sports City. The match was really decided in a 20-minute period from the middle of the first half, when Nawaf Al Habashi put Al Hazem 1-0 up before Al Okhdood equalised soon after thanks to Ghassan Hawsawi.

However, Ahmed Al Nakhli’s goal five minutes before half-time proved the winner, Al Hazem holding on for what feels a precious first three points of the campaign. As such, the Ar Rass outfit jumped up to 12th in the standings.

For Al Okhdood, though, the search for a victory rumbles on. In fact, a first point. The Najran side have now lost all five RSL matches this term, and languish second bottom, ahead of Al Najmah on goal difference. And next up is an away assignment at second-placed Al Qadsiah.

That quest for a turnaround in fortunes doesn’t get any easier.