Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong opened his goal account for Al Kholood in a disappointing 4-2 loss to Al Hilal on Saturday night in the Saudi Pro League.
The Nigerian defender converted a penalty late in the game, but his effort couldn’t prevent his team from succumbing to a heavy defeat at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Footballrover reports.
Troost-Ekong’s goal not enough to stop Al Hilal’s onslaught
Troost-Ekong’s 87th-minute penalty marked his first goal in five outings for Al Kholood, though it did little to shift the momentum as Al Hilal had already sealed their victory.
William Troost-Ekong scores his first goal for Al Kholood from the penalty spot, to make it 2-4 against Al Hilal pic.twitter.com/UjEtx0TiU4
— Home of Nigerian Football (@EaglesTrackerNG) September 28, 2024
The visitors dominated early on, racing to a 4-0 lead by the 47th minute, leaving Al Kholood with an uphill battle.
Al Hilal’s blitz started with a Kalidou Koulibaly goal in the 38th minute, quickly followed by Malcom’s strike five minutes later.
Ali Al-Bulayhi added a third just before halftime, and Renan Lodi made it 4-0 just after the break.
Hammam Al-Hammami finally pulled one back for Al Kholood in the 70th minute, and Troost-Ekong’s penalty reduced the deficit further, but the comeback fell short.
Solid defensive performance despite Al Kholood’s defeat
Despite the loss, Troost-Ekong put in a solid shift defensively, recording 27 touches and completing ten accurate passes.
He also made two good blocks, two clearances, an interception, five recoveries, and won two ground and aerial duels.
But then, the defeat leaves Al Kholood stuck in 12th place with four points from five matches.
Their next test will be an away clash with Al Khaleej on Friday, as they look to bounce back from two consecutive defeats.
Troost-Ekong, 30, joined Al Kholood this summer on a one-year deal from PAOK Thessaloniki FC.
After lifting the Greek Super League title and qualifying for European competition with PAOK, the Nigerian international opted for a new challenge in the Saudi Pro League.
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