Al-Shabab top, Hamdallah returns: 5 things we learned from third round of ROSHN Saudi League

The third round of the ROSHN Saudi League is now over with Al-Shabab continuing to top the table, and Al-Hilal keeping pace.

Here are five things that we learned from the latest action.

1. Al-Shabab keep roaring

Al-Shabab thrashed Al-Tai 4-0 and continue to make the running this season. Their start to the season has been emphatic, with a 3-0 victory and then two 4-0 wins. It literally could not have gone any better for the leaders. Well perhaps the only way it could have improved had the opponents been Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad instead of Al-Batin, Abha and Al-Tai.

The opening goal was a thing of beauty. Al-Shabab worked hard to win back the ball high up the pitch before Cristian Guanca fired home a rocket. Then there were two penalties given to the leaders and Al-Tai were never going to come back from that.

What has been noticeable is that the goals have been spread around the team and they are not reliant on a star striker, yet, for goals. The likes of Aaron Boupendza and Santi Mina have adapted to Saudi Arabian football very quickly indeed. New coach Vicente Moreno is enjoying himself too and there is self-belief coursing through the team.

The next three games are winnable ahead of the big clash with Al-Hilal. If Al-Shabab can keep improving, by the time they meet their Riyadh rivals they really could be flying.

2. Hamdallah returns and the goals will surely follow

Perhaps the biggest story of the week was not Al-Ittihad defeating Al-Raed 1-0 on Friday but the lifting of Abderrazak Hamdallah’s suspension. The Moroccan was supposed to be on the sidelines until December but, in the end, only missed the first two matches of the season. Given Ittihad’s 0-0 draw the previous week, it was clear that the