Saudi First Division: Benrahma helps confirm Neom SC promotion, Badamosi strikes in Abha draw
- Andrew Olsson
- 7 hours ago
- 1 min read
Next season there will be a new club in the Saudi Pro League with plenty of financial backing after Neom Sports Club confirmed their promotion from the Saudi First Division to the top flight on Tuesday. Algeria national team player Saïd Benrahma was among the scorers for Neom in their 3-0 victory at Al Arabi.
A key player with Neom along with former Egypt national team center back Ahmed Hegazy, Benrahma converted from the penalty spot to give Neom a ten-point lead on the table with four matches left to play. Neom are now guaranteed to finish either in first or in second place where the top-2 teams are promoted along with the winner of a playoff between the third through sixth placed teams.
Benrahma is currently on loan at Neom from Olympique Lyonnais. Neom, named after and backed by a massive planned city project ongoing in Saudi Arabia, has an option to purchase Benrahma and after gaining promotion a permanent transfer appears likely.
On Wednesday, Gambian striker Muhammad Badamosi found the goal for midtable side Abha Club in a 1-1 draw versus Al Jandal. The giant hitman used his height well to nod in a looping header after the Jandal defense allowed a long throw-in to bounce in their penalty area.
The 26-year-old, on loan in Saudi football for the second time from Serbian club Čukarički, now has three goals and three assists since joining Abha at the beginning of February.
