Ukrainian midfielder Artem Bondarenko became the star of the 10th round match of the 2026/2027 Saudi Pro League season, where Al-Fayha hosted Al-Ahli. The Jeddah-based team secured a comeback away victory with a score of 3:2, and Bondarenko, who came on as a substitute in only the 14th minute, scored a brace and effectively decided the outcome of the match. Read more about the match in the Sport RBC report.
Emergency Substitution That Changed the Game
Bondarenko started the match on the bench and got his chance only in the 14th minute due to an injury to Ziyad Al-Johani. The Ukrainian's entrance onto the pitch became a turning point for Al-Ahli: prior to that, Al-Fayha led following Hugo Moura's goal in the 44th minute, and it was Bondarenko's substitution that allowed the visitors to first equalize and then snatch the victory.
Two Goals: A Header and From a Corner
Bondarenko scored his first goal in stoppage time of the first half (45+3). Following a cross, the Ukrainian headed the ball into the far corner, restoring parity at 1:1. He scored his second goal in the 70th minute: with the score at 2:2 after a corner kick, Bondarenko found himself in the right place to set the final score at 3:2. Thus, he not only opened his goalscoring account for Al-Ahli but also brought three points to his team in an away fixture.
Match Flow
The match turned out to be high-scoring and action-packed. Al-Fayha midfielder Hugo Moura opened the scoring in the 44th minute. Bondarenko restored parity at 45+3. After the break, Al-Ahli took the lead thanks to a penalty by Firas Al-Buraikan in the 59th minute, but in the 65th minute Al-Fayha midfielder Hasson leveled the score once again. Bondarenko delivered the decisive blow in the 70th minute. Eduard Spertsyan also started for Al-Ahli and was substituted in the 90+4th minute.
Rating and Standings
According to SofaScore, Bondarenko's contribution to the victory was rated 8.3, making him one of the best players of the match. For Al-Ahli, this victory marked their third consecutive win in the league, bringing their season points total to 18 and lifting them to fourth place in the standings. Al-Fayha sits in 14th place with seven points.
