Youssef En-Nesyri goal puts Kalidou Koulibaly under scrutiny after Al Hilal win

Kalidou Koulibaly faced sharp criticism after Al-Ittihad’s 3-2 defeat by Al Hilal in the eighth round of the Roshn Saudi League, with his positioning blamed for Youssef En-Nesyri’s goal.

The Senegal defender was unable to track the Moroccan striker as he moved into space to meet a pass from Marwan Al-Sahafi. En-Nesyri then fired a powerful shot past Yassine Bounou in the 22nd minute to bring Al-Ittihad back into the match.

The goal was widely discussed not only because of En-Nesyri’s composed finish, but also because of Koulibaly’s positioning in the defensive line. The former Chelsea defender was unable to stay with En-Nesyri, allowing the striker to receive the ball in an ideal position before shooting.

Saudi sports broadcaster Abdullah Falatah criticised Al Hilal’s performance in the match and questioned the way the Al-Ittihad manager handled the game. He also launched a strong attack on Koulibaly, using a pointed expression to describe what he viewed as a decline in the defender’s concentration.

Speaking on Saudi network Thmanyah, Falatah said: “The Al-Ittihad manager’s handling of the match today was not good, and Koulibaly is suffering from technical Alzheimer’s. If the Al-Ittihad manager had played with two forwards, Al-Ittihad would have benefited more.”

Sports analyst Abdu Ateef also held Koulibaly responsible for En-Nesyri’s goal. He said the defender’s poor positioning gave the Al-Ittihad forward the opportunity to control the ball and shoot at goal, exposing a weakness in the way Al Hilal dealt with the opposition’s movement.

The incident has renewed questions about Koulibaly’s form and his role in Al Hilal’s defence. He is expected to provide experience and defensive strength, particularly in major matches where concentration and close marking are essential.

En-Nesyri’s finish illustrated the consequences of even a brief lapse against a striker of his quality. The Al-Ittihad forward needed only a small amount of space to punish the defensive error during the match.

Although Al Hilal ultimately secured a 3-2 victory, conceding in that manner gave critics further reason to question Koulibaly’s display, especially given the importance of the fixture in the title race.

However, assessing a player’s contribution cannot rely on one incident alone. Koulibaly’s performance must also be judged across the remainder of the game, including his response to the mistake and his ability to fulfil his defensive responsibilities.