Tijjani Reijnders Scores Brace for Al-Qadsiah in Roshn League
Tijjani Reijnders is wasting no time justifying his price tag in Saudi Arabia.
The Netherlands midfielder, Al-Qadsiah’s record signing, delivered a ruthless first-half brace in the Roshn League clash against Al-Ahli on Tuesday at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, underlining exactly why the club pushed so hard to bring him in last summer.
He set the tone early. On 14 minutes, Reijnders picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a fierce drive that flew beyond Édouard Mendy, leaving the Al-Ahli and Senegal goalkeeper with no chance. One touch, one opening, one statement.
Al-Qadsiah kept coming. Deep into first-half stoppage time, with the home side firmly on top, Reijnders struck again. Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat swung in a measured cross and the Dutchman timed his run perfectly, rising to guide a header home for his team’s third of the night. A midfielder arriving late, a clinical finish, and a game that already felt out of reach for the visitors.
Those two goals were only his second and third for Al-Qadsiah, but the pattern is clear. He had already opened his account in just his second appearance, scoring in the 2-0 win over Neom in the third round of the Roshn League. Three goals in the early weeks of his Saudi adventure: this is a player settling fast.
That blistering start already outstrips his early days at Manchester City. With the Premier League champions, Reijnders managed just one goal in his first four matches, finding the net against Wolverhampton on the opening weekend of last season. In Saudi Arabia, the impact has been sharper, the influence more immediate.
Al-Qadsiah paid heavily for that kind of difference-maker. According to press reports, the club spent 61 million euros to prise Reijnders from Manchester City in the last summer transfer window, making him the most expensive signing in their history.
On nights like this in Dammam, that record fee looks less like a gamble and more like the foundation of a new era.
