x/ittihad_fr GOAL | Aug 26, 2026 07:14+08:00
Translated by GOAL
Hat-trick round and the champion's fall: the elite volleyball league begins with exceptional scenes!
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| Al Taawoun U21 vs Al Najmah U21 Al Taawoun U21 | Al Najmah U21 |
Jawwy Elite League U-21 |
| Al Fayha U21 vs Al Ahli U21 Al Fayha U21 | Al Ahli U21 |
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| Al Wehda U21 vs Al Riyadh U21 Al Wehda U21 | Al Riyadh U21 |
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| Al-Tadamon U21 vs Al Ettifaq U21 Al-Tadamon U21 | Al Ettifaq U21 |
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| Al Kholood U21 vs Al Okhdood U21 Al Kholood U21 | Al Okhdood U21 |
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| Al Faisaly U21 vs Al Hilal U21 Al Faisaly U21 | Al Hilal U21 |
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| Al Fateh U21 vs Al Ansar U21 Al Fateh U21 | Al Ansar U21 |
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| Damac U21 vs Al Ittihad U21 Damac U21 | Al Ittihad U21 |
Saudi Arabia |
A fiery, thrilling round
The curtain has come down on the first round of the second edition of the "Joy" Elite Under-21 League. Three days of excitement and goals brought 36 strikes across 11 matches, big results and a surprise fall by the defending champions, with Al-Ettifaq, Al-Ahli and Al-Fateh leading the way in attack.
Al-Ettifaq made the strongest start of all. They routed Al-Tadamon 10-1 in the biggest win of the round to top the attacking scene from the very beginning.
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Other emphatic victories followed. Al-Ansar hammered Al-Fateh 6-0, Al-Ahli beat Al-Feiha 3-1 and Al-Khaleej saw off Al-Qadsiah 3-1.
x/EttifaqSa — Al-Ittifaq post the biggest score: the round catches fire with goals
Al-Ettifaq announced themselves as the most potent attack of the opening round, hammering 10 goals past Al-Tadamon. The match became a goalscoring festival from the opening minutes. Al-Ettifaq sent an early message about their firepower and their ambition to compete.
Read also: A festival of goals: Al-Ettifaq cut the ribbon on the new season with a historic win
That big win was not the only result to give the round an attacking flavour. Al-Ansar saw off Al-Fateh 6-0. Al-Najma beat Al-Taawoun two goals to nil, Al-Orobah edged Neom by the same score, and Al-Riyadh settled their match against Al-Wehda with a single goal. Elsewhere, Al-Hilal overcame Al-Faisaly 2-1. The meeting between Al-Ittihad and Damac ended goalless, the only fixture in the round to produce no goals.
3 hat-tricks light up the top-scorer race
The opening round delivered more than a flurry of goals. It also produced three hat-tricks, launching the race for the golden boot early and in striking fashion.
Mohammed Al-Issa stole the show for Al-Ettifaq, firing a "super hat-trick" in the big win over Al-Tadhamon. Ziad Aba shone for Al-Ahli with three goals in the victory over Al-Fayha, while En Rass grabbed a treble for Al-Fateh despite his side's heavy defeat to Al-Ansar.
Such a start hands the goalscorers a real boost in a contest that promises fierce competition over the coming rounds, with more than one player already firing on all cylinders since day one.
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The defending champion suffers an early blow
Al-Jabalain pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the round, beating first-edition champions Al-Hazm 2-1. The holders opened the defence of their title with an unexpected defeat.
Al-Hazm had gone into the new season determined to cling to the crown they won in the tournament's first edition. Their start defied expectations. They failed to protect their lead and walked away with nothing, while Al-Jabalain sent an early warning to their rivals that they would be no easy touch.
Al-Hilal, meanwhile, made a winning start, seeing off Al-Faisaly 2-1. Al-Ittihad had to settle for a goalless draw with Damac, leaving both sides with a single point to open their campaign.
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Clean sheets and calculations deferred
Six teams kept clean sheets this round: Damac, Al-Ittihad, Al-Fateh, Al-Taawoun, Al-Wehda and Neom. That tally points to solid defensive foundations at a number of clubs, even amid the flurry of goals in the remaining matches.
Two fixtures were pushed back to December. Al-Khaleej against Al-Akhdoud did not go ahead, nor did Al-Nassr's clash with Al-Watan. The full picture of the table must now wait until those games are played.
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Between the goal festival led by Al-Ettifaq, the hat-tricks that stole the spotlight and the shock fall of the title holder, the "Joy" Elite League has launched its second edition at a fast and thrilling pace. The very first round confirmed as much: the title race will be wide open, and the individual battle for top scorer may prove every bit as fierce as the collective one.