JEDDAH, 25 September 2003 — Al-Ahli’s poor start to the King Fahd Premier Soccer League continued with a surprise 2-0 defeat to Al-Khaleej at the Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd Stadium in Dammam yesterday. The defeat dropped last year’s runners-up to seventh spot, while Khaleej rose to ninth.
Khaleej relied on two strikes, once in each half, to ride home to victory. Al-Sabie scored the first just at the stroke of the interval with a flashing header following a crisp center, and then Ali Hussein crowned a solo effort in the 80th minute to give his side the second goal.
In another encounter, Al-Shabab came away with full points in a seven-goal thriller against Al-Ittifaq. At the Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Stadium in Riyadh Shabab won 4-3 and moved to the third spot with 11 points while Ittifaq stay sixth with seven points.
In Makkah, Al-Qadisiya defeated Al-Wehda 1-0. Qadisiya, with this victory, move up to the fifth rung with eight points while Wehda drop to fourth with nine points.
FA Charge Six Arsenal,
Three Man United Players
In London, the English Football Association yeterday charged six Arsenal players and two from Manchester United over the clashes that erupted at the end of Sunday’s goalless draw between the two clubs at Old Trafford. Arsenal have also been charged with misconduct while a third Manchester United player, Phil Neville, was warned as to his future conduct.
The Arsenal players charged were Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Jens Lehmann, Ashley Cole, Lauren and Ray Parlour.
Keown, Lauren and Parlour, who were involved in the violent jostling of Ruud van Nistelrooy at the end of the match, have been charged with violent conduct while the others face the lesser charge of improper conduct. The two Manchester United players cited, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo, were both charged with improper conduct.
Suspensions are certain for players charged with violent conduct if the charges are upheld.
