Inzaghi’s early Al Hilal change explained after Sabri Dahl withdrawn

Simone Inzaghi’s decision to replace Sabri Dahl after only 28 minutes of Al Hilal’s match against Shabab Al Ahli has been attributed to the team’s need for greater defensive and attacking readiness.

Dahl had been handed his first start for Al Hilal in a demanding fixture, but Inzaghi substituted the 18-year-old for right-back Mohammed Mahzari in the 28th minute. The change came despite no visible sign that Dahl had suffered an injury.

The early decision prompted questions about why Dahl had been selected for the match in the first place, particularly when other options were considered more prepared for the occasion.

Sports broadcaster and analyst Khaled Al-Qahtani said winger Sultan Mandash would have been a better choice in his position, while he also rated Mahzari ahead of Dahl at right-back.

Writing on X, Al-Qahtani suggested that Inzaghi may have acted because “the problems were clear” in Dahl’s performance during the opening stages.

He also said Al Hilal had started the game at a high tempo in an attempt to score early and avoid being drawn into a physical contest with Shabab Al Ahli. The UAE side, in his view, are well suited to that type of match.

According to Al-Qahtani, the pace of the opening exchanges and the prospect of a physically demanding battle helped explain why Inzaghi made the change so quickly.

Dahl joined Al Hilal from Al Fayha in July and signed a five-year contract with the club. His first start for the Saudi side therefore lasted less than half an hour before the manager altered his team.