A win over Al Hazem on Friday offered Al Ahli some relief after a turbulent start to the 2026-27 season, but it has done little to silence the growing noise around the club. Goals from Francisco Trincao and a brace from Ivan Toni sealed a 3-1 victory at King Abdullah Sports City, lifting the Jeddah side to fifth place on 12 points from seven games. The result matters, but the bigger picture remains uncomfortable. Al Ahli have lost three of their opening seven league matches, and coach Marino Bousselik continues to face calls for his dismissal from supporters and pundits alike. The debate over his future has dominated Saudi football coverage this week, with comparisons drawn to the departure of his predecessor Matthias Jaissle. Off the pitch, the club is still processing the fallout from a difficult summer. Sporting director Rui Pedro Braz was officially dismissed, and several high-profile foreign players left without adequate replacements. Marcelo Brozovic, who had been linked with a move to the club after leaving Al Nassr, was reportedly rejected by Al Ahli due to a chronic injury. Ivan Toni leads the league scoring charts with 10 goals, which is a genuine bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent campaign. Attention now turns to Tuesday's AFC Champions League Elite home fixture against Pakhtakor Tashkent, a competition Al Ahli have won back-to-back and will be eager to defend.