Friday evening's clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Taawoun in the fourth round of the Roshn League brought a charged atmosphere to the stands. The fans of "Al-Alami" aimed harsh messages at Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah, the Al-Taawoun forward and former Al-Nassr player, from the warm-up onwards and throughout the match.
Even before kick-off, Al-Nassr's fans launched their attack. They chanted "you crybaby" at the Moroccan striker, a nod to the disputes that surrounded the end of his spell with "Al-Alami". Hamdallah ignored the chants and did not respond directly to the stands.
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The jeers did not stop once the match began. Fans kept venting their anger at their former striker, especially every time he lost the ball, and the stands erupted in whistles and chants against him. Hamdallah stayed under continuous fan pressure for the full ninety.
The Al-Taawoun clash carries a special edge for Hamdallah. He spent years in the Al-Nassr shirt and enjoyed great success with the team before the relationship between the two parties ended in controversy. Since then, he has become one of the players most heavily jeered whenever he faces "Al-Alami".
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All of this coincided with Al-Nassr's strong start in the Roshn League. "Al-Alami" won their first three matches of the season, collecting maximum points before the Al-Taawoun clash and confirming their desire to keep competing hard for the top of the table.
Al-Nassr opened their campaign with a victory over Al-Riyadh, then pulled off a thrilling comeback against Al-Ettifaq to win 3-2 despite playing most of the match with 10 men. They went into the Al-Taawoun clash on a high, eager to extend their winning run.
That flying start hands the Al-Taawoun clash added weight, especially with Al-Nassr chasing a perfect record. Hamdallah, meanwhile, found himself facing his former club and fans who have grown used to greeting him with jeers in recent years.
Between the chants of the stands and Al-Nassr's hunger for another win, all eyes stayed fixed on Hamdallah. He tried to ignore the pressure and focus on the pitch. Another night, another reminder: the Moroccan striker's story with the fans of "Al-Alami" is far from over, years after his departure.
