Hamdallah or Al Somah? Rivals for RSL all-time greatness meet head on | OneFootball

As Roshn Saudi League title protagonists all face potentially season-defining games this weekend when the competition enters the home straight, the most anticipated clash of Matchweek 25 could arguably be one that doesn’t involve any of them.

Al Ittihad are looking to break a three-match winless streak that has seen their lead at the summit slashed to four points, while second-placed Al Hilal - the defending champions - are seeking to ramp up the pressure. Just below, in third, Al Qadsiah are striving to keep in touch.

All their matches have significant meaning in the context of the campaign, but there’s another encounter, one involving teams further down the table, that is significant in the context of the history of the RSL.

A fixture between sides sitting 6th and 12th ordinarily might not attract much focus, but this is no ordinary 6th versus 12th contest. Because this one is full of meaning and narrative.

For the past few years, Abderrazak Hamdallah has been competing in a one-sided professional battle with Omar Al Somah for the mantle of the RSL’s all-time leading scorer. One-sided since Al Somah, after leaving Al Ahli in 2022, had been playing his club football in Qatar.

The Syrian international has therefore had to sit back and watch as Hamdallah methodically chipped away at the gap between the two, getting it into low single figures this season.

With Al Somah across the Gulf, it felt inevitable that his Moroccan rival would overtake him as the greatest goalscorer in the history of the Saudi Arabian top flight.

However, as much as he claims he hasn't been motivated by the accolade, Al Somah seemingly wasn’t going to sit idly by as his record was usurped. So, in January he made a surprise return to the RSL, signing for relegation-threatened Al Orobah.

Although Al Somah stated he wasn't fuelled by retaining his historic position in the competition, elite players are professional beasts. And, deep inside him, there would be a desire for that crown to remain on his head - and his head only.

Before the season, when Hamdallah had just swapped Al Ittihad for Al Shabab, he admitted he was incentivised by trying to surpass Al Somah's mark.

"I'm very happy with what I've done so far,” Hamdallah told popular Saudi programme Action with Waleed back in September. “Of course, I'd be a lot happier if I continue to work hard, add value to my club Al Shabab first, and why not break the record?”

“It's a major record and a significant number of goals [then at 144], and Omar Al Somah deserves praise for raising the bar so high. It's not an easy record to break, but I'll take it one game at a time, first to help Al Shabab, then for my personal ambitions.”

Their head-to-head since Al Somah returned has offered a fascinating subplot to each round of RSL action through January, February and, now, March.

Both fearsome frontmen have had games in which they’ve tried to assert their authority: Al Somah with a brace against Al Wehda in Matchweek 19 to offset Hamdallah's hat-trick against Al Khaleej the previous night. By the end of that round last month, the former had moved back five clear.

Looking at time passed since the Syrian’s return to the RSL, the goal tally reads six goals to Al Somah and eight to Hamdallah.

And now, for the first time in almost exactly three years, the superstar strikers square off on the pitch. Their last encounter came back on 12 March 2021, when both - of course - scored in a 2-1 win for Hamdallah’s Al Nassr against Al Somah’s Al Ahli.

At one point with rivalry renewed this season, the difference had narrowed to three goals. A changing of the guard seemed an inevitability. Yet, across the past month, Al Somah has extended that margin as he quickly found his feet again in the RSL.

As it stands, he has stretched his lead to seven goals - 150 to 143 - and is on a run of scoring in three straight games. With Al Somah in rude health, Al Orobah have edged clear of the relegation zone, winning three of their past five to jump to 12th in the standings.

Undoubtedly, their captain has made a massive difference since he signed in January; before his arrival, Al Orobah had scored 11 goals in 16 league outings to hold one of the worst records in the league.

In the eight games since, though, they have found the net 11 times. Al Somah, now 35, has contributed to six of those. In that time, Al Orobah have doubled their win tally - four to eight - allowing them to skip eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Al Shabab, meanwhile, are undefeated in their past four in the RSL and, despite lying eight points adrift of the top five with 10 rounds remaining, will still harbour ambitions of closing the gap and pushing for that finish.

In contrast to Al Somah, Hamdallah has hit a barren patch, with two goals in his past five league appearances. In his previous five before that, he had scored seven.

Therefore, this Thursday is about more than the three points. Undoubtedly, for either side the victory is the most important but, in the personal showdown between two greats of Arab football, there is also personal pride at stake.

Can Al Somah score again and broaden his all-time advantage, and in doing so fire a shot across the bows of Hamdallah?

Or will the Al Shabab captain rediscover his magic touch and take a chunk out of Al Somah’s lead at the scoring summit. And, at the same time, let his counterpart know he is up for the fight?

Whichever way it goes, Thursday’s encounter in Riyadh promises to be another special night in the RSL. But which history-chaser will depart with capital gains?