Al-Ahli Faces Sundowns in Key Intercontinental Cup Clash

Al-Ahli step into their Intercontinental Cup showdown with Sundowns knowing this is the kind of night that can define a campaign. Not a final, not yet, but a measuring stick. Survive this, maybe even win it, and the Saudi side’s continental run suddenly looks alive again.

Marino Pusic is not hiding behind caution. He is trusting his core stars, but he is also twisting the system just enough to change the feel of his team. The message is clear: control the chaos, or Sundowns will run away with it.

Bahoya thrown straight into the fire

The headline call sits at right-back. Saeed Bahoya, a new arrival and untested in a tie of this intensity, is expected to make his first start. No gentle introduction, no quiet league outing. Straight into a high-tempo clash against one of Africa’s sharpest transition sides.

On paper, it looks brave. On the pitch, it will demand perfection.

Bahoya joins a back four in front of Edouard Mendy, with Zakaria Hawsawi on the opposite flank and the powerful pairing of Roger Ibanez and Merih Demiral at centre-back. It is a line designed to absorb pace, to hold shape, and still give Al-Ahli a platform to build from wide areas.

The risk is obvious: one wrong step against Sundowns’ runners, and the whole structure can crack.

Diaby–Atangana axis at the heart of the plan

Just ahead of them, Pusic turns to graft and discipline. Ibrahim Diaby and Valentine Atangana are set to form the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 that leans heavily on their legs and awareness.

Their job is unforgiving. Break up Sundowns’ counters, close the gaps between the lines, and still offer enough on the ball to launch Al-Ahli’s attacks. If they sit too deep, the front four get isolated. If they push too high, Sundowns will feast on the space behind them.

Pusic is banking on their balance. Win that midfield battle, and the rest of the system starts to make sense.

Creative trio given license behind Toney

Ahead of them, the shape turns from functional to dangerous. Francisco Trincao, Galeno and Eduard Spertsyan are expected to roam behind centre-forward Ivan Toney, a trio tasked with finding pockets of space and punishing any hesitation from the Sundowns back line.

Trincao can drift inside, Spertsyan can dictate between the lines, and Galeno offers direct running and aggression from the flank. Together, they give Al-Ahli different ways to hurt you: a slipped pass, a shot from the edge, a sudden burst in behind.

At the tip of it all stands Toney. The English striker will not just wait in the box. He will fight for long balls, pin centre-backs, and bring those three creators into play. If Al-Ahli reach Sundowns’ goal regularly, Toney will almost certainly be involved in the move.

The expected XI

• Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy
• Defence: Zakaria Hawsawi, Roger Ibanez, Merih Demiral, Saeed Bahoya
• Midfield: Valentine Atangana, Ibrahim Diaby
• Attack: Francisco Trincao, Galeno, Eduard Spertsyan
• Centre-forward: Ivan Toney

On the tactics board, it is a clear 4-2-3-1. In reality, it will live or die on how quickly those lines shift.

Walking the tightrope between control and collapse

This is not a night for half-measures. Sundowns thrive on pace and on exploiting gaps that appear for only a second. One mistimed overlap from a full-back, one lazy recovery run from midfield, and the South African side can tear through the space.

That is why Pusic’s choices feel so pointed. Bahoya’s debut under pressure. Diaby and Atangana as the shield and springboard. The attacking trio drifting, probing, looking for any weakness, while Toney prowls at the tip.

Al-Ahli are not just chasing a result. They are chasing momentum, identity, and a place among the teams who handle these high-wire continental nights without blinking. Tonight will show whether this balance holds – or whether Sundowns’ speed rips it apart.