Round-up of the Joy League round: Al-Issa continues to explode and Al-Nassr bares its fangs | Goal.com

Published on 01 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

The second round of the Joy Elite League Under-21 competition delivered plenty of excitement. Eleven matches produced 26 goals, an average of around 2.4 per game, with a host of young talents shining and the race for the top scorer's crown already heating up.

Mohammed Al-Issa was the round's standout performer. The Al-Ettifaq striker found the net once again in his side's 2-0 win over Damac, taking his tally to 5 goals and sending him to the top of the scoring charts after a blistering start that included a super hat-trick on the opening day.

Al-Faisaly continued their impressive form with a big 3-0 win over Al-Akhdoud. Dayo Osho was one of the standout performers, scoring twice to lead his side to another victory and cement his place among the tournament's notable names.

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Al-Nassr, meanwhile, produced one of the round's strongest displays, thrashing Al-Jabalain 4-0. Saad Haqawi grabbed a brace during the match, while Turki Al-Ghameel scored for a second round running to maintain his strong attacking start with the team.

Defensively, some teams stood head and shoulders above the rest. Eight clubs kept clean sheets: Al-Faisaly against Al-Akhdoud, Al-Feiha against Al-Ansar, Al-Ittihad against Al-Tadamon, Al-Hilal against Al-Kholood, Al-Ettifaq against Damac, Al-Taawoun against Al-Orobah, Al-Nassr against Al-Jabalain, and Al-Khaleej against Al-Wehda.

These numbers point to a clear balance between attacking strength and defensive solidity. Several teams managed to score goals while shutting the door at the other end, handing them a strong start in the tournament race.

Al-Nassr and Al-Riyadh were among the highest-scoring teams in the round, each netting four goals. Al-Nassr beat Al-Jabalain 4-0, Al-Riyadh saw off Al-Qadsiah 3-1, and Al-Faisaly put three past Al-Akhdoud.

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Elsewhere, Al-Ahli beat Al-Fateh 2-1 and Al-Taawoun edged Al-Orobah by a single goal, while Al-Najma drew 1-1 with Neom. Al-Ittihad beat Al-Tadamon, Al-Hilal beat Al-Kholood, Al-Ettifaq beat Damac, Al-Feiha beat Al-Ansar, and Al-Khaleej beat Al-Wehda.

Wins dominated the second round. Ten matches ended with a victory for one side against just a single draw, while the clash between Al-Hazm and Al-Watan was postponed, leaving the latter out of the round's reckoning until a new date is set.

With the second round done, all eyes turn to the scoring race. Mohammed Al-Issa leads the way on 5 goals, but a clutch of other talents continue to impress, chief among them Dayo Osho, Saad Haqawi and Turki Al-Ghameel. These early exchanges confirm that the second edition of the Joy Elite League is packed with names capable of shaping the future of Saudi football.

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