William Troost-Ekong makes Al Kholood debut
Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong experienced a heartbreaking debut for Al Kholood, as the club suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Al Ittihad in their Saudi Pro League opener on Saturday.
Troost-Ekong joined Al Kholood earlier this week, bringing an end to his year-long stint with Greek champions PAOK. Despite the recent transfer, the Nigerian international was deemed fit and ready to start in Al Kholood’s first league match of the season, where they hosted the formidable Al Ittihad.
Al Ittihad, a team packed with star power, featured former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, World Cup winner N’Golo Kanté, and ex-Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. However, Troost-Ekong, leading Al Kholood’s three-man defense, managed to keep these football heavyweights at bay for 94 minutes.
Just when it seemed Troost-Ekong was set to mark his debut with a clean sheet, disaster struck in the dying moments of the game. Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar found the back of the net, securing a last-minute victory for Al Ittihad and leaving Al Kholood empty-handed.
Despite the loss, Al Kholood, who are competing in the Pro League after earning promotion from the FDL last season, can take pride in their resilient performance against one of the league’s top teams. The Ar Rass-based side will look to secure their first points of the season when they travel to the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on August 29 to face Al Riyadh, who played out a thrilling 3-3 draw against Odion Ighalo’s Al Wehda in their opening match.
Troost-Ekong’s experience will be crucial for Al Kholood as they navigate the challenges of the Pro League, with the club aiming to avoid relegation in their debut season at the top flight. Before making the move to the Middle East, the 30-year-old defender had stints with clubs like Udinese, Watford, Salernitana, and Gent. Earlier this year, Troost-Ekong was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he captained Nigeria to a silver medal finish.
