Al-Faisaly’s Boyle eyeing dream end to season as Australia battle Uruguay in winner-takes-all World Cup play-off

When he calmly tucked home the first goal into the empty Arsenal net to open the scoring for Hibernian in a 2-1 pre-season victory against Mikel Arteta’s side, Martin Boyle would not have imagined the nature of the challenges he would be facing come the end of the 2021-22 season.

The Aberdeen-born striker was entering his seventh season at Easter Road where he had established himself as a firm favorite for Hibernian fans.

And when he powered in from the penalty spot to complete a famous hat-trick, downing Rangers in the League Cup semifinal in late November, Boyle would not have expected how the second half of his season would unfold.

Yet, here he was, six months later: A beaming smile on his face as he took in the atmosphere in Qatar’s Ahmed bin Ali Stadium — halfway through ticking all three boxes of his club and country objectives of the season, none of which now include success with Hibs.

A $3.7 million January deal saw Boyle swap the green of Hibernian with maroon. Not that of their fiercest rivals, Hearts, thankfully for Hibs supporters, but the maroon of Al-Faisaly in the small Saudi Arabian town of Harmah; some 200 km northwest of the capital Riyadh.

Two contrasting yet equally important objectives were placed on his intray; pulling Al-Faisaly out of the relegation zone and helping them make an impact on their first continental appearance; the 2022 AFC Champions League.

The latter was achieved in style. Boyle’s strike deep in added time to salvage a point against Jordan’s Al-Wehdat meant his side pipped two-time continental champions Al-Sadd and Uzbek powerhouse Nasaf to the top of the group, advancing to the AFC Champions League round of 16 at the first time of asking.

Four months, three goals and one