JEDDAH, 7 January 2005 — Al-Shabab of Riyadh scored a comprehensive 6-3 victory over Al-Ansar yesterday in the King Fahd Cup soccer tournament.
The away win at Prince Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz Stadium in Madinah enabled Shabab to move up to third in the standings in a crowded leaderboard where not a single top three team leads by more than a point over their nearest pursuers.
Another Riyadh-based squad, Al-Nasr, were hosts to Al-Qadisiya and completed a double for teams in the Kingdom’s capital with a 2-1 triumph.
Al-Wahda of Makkah downed visitors Al-Ittifaq of Dammam 1-0 in the other match yesterday.
Atram scored a hat trick for Shabab who left the enemy gasping in their wake with a game-long brilliance that also netted markers from Hassan Muaz, Mansour Al-Dossary and Manga.
Muaz set the ball rolling with a goal right in the first minute in what could easily pass as one of the fastest goals made in the tournament.
Al-Dossary then scored Shabab’s second goal in the 23rd minute before Ansar answered with their first goal in the 40th minute.
Ansar equalized in the 48th minute in the second half. Shabab moved ahead when Atram struck in the 60th minute. He accounted for Shabab’s fourth goal in the 64th minute and Manga added another marker in the 66th minute before Ansar scored their third goal in the 75th minute.
Atram completed his treble when he again found the net in the 80th minute.
Tournament leaders Al-Hilal have 26 points, one ahead of Al-Ahli who in turn lead Shabab by one at 25. Shabab at 24 points are two in front of Ittihad and Nasr.
At Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Nasr collected the full three points after Muhammad Al Zahrani scored what proved to be the marginal goal in the 38th minute.
Qadisiya were the first to score through international player Jose. Faisal Seef scored Nasr’s other goal in the 23rd minute.
