What is happening to the Asian champions? Al-Ahli suffer their third defeat before the new season

FBL-ASIA-C1-AL-AHLI-MACHIDA ZELVIA

The elegant one struggles

Al-Ahli have slipped to a third defeat of their overseas training camp as they build towards the new 2026-2027 season.

Portimonense, of the Portuguese second division, beat them 2-0 on Tuesday at Al-Ahli's camp in Portugal.

That result made it three losses in friendly matches on this trip abroad. Germany's Holstein Kiel had already put four past them in a 4-1 win in Austria, before Portugal's Vitoria Guimaraes followed up with a 3-1 victory.

Only one win has come Al-Ahli's way, an 8-0 rout of Austria's Saalfelden in their opening friendly. They also drew 2-2 with Portugal's Rio Ave.

German coach Matthias Jaissle named just one foreign professional in his starting line-up, Brazilian winger Galeno, then hauled him off in the second half without introducing another overseas player.

The rest of the foreign contingent should feature in the other friendly on Tuesday, when Al-Ahli take on Fulham in their final match before the Portugal camp ends and the squad heads back to Jeddah.