2016 Saudi Super Cup
The 2016 Saudi Super Cup was the fourth edition of the Saudi Super Cup, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Saudi Pro League and King Cup competitions.
The match was played on 8 August 2016 between Al-Ahli, the winners of both the 2015–16 Saudi Pro League and the 2016 [King's Cup (Saudi Arabia)|2016 King Cup], and Al-Hilal, the winners of the 2015–16 [Saudi Crown Prince Cup|2015–16 Crown Prince Cup]. Normally, the Saudi Super Cup is contested by the league and King Cup champions, but since Al-Ahli won both competitions, Al-Hilal qualified as Crown Prince Cup winners — the first time a team qualified this way. The match was held at Craven Cottage in London, England, marking the second consecutive edition of the Saudi Super Cup to be played abroad.
The match ended in a 1–1 draw after regular time and was decided by a penalty shoot-out, with Al-Ahli winning 4–3 to claim their first Saudi Super Cup title.
Background
Al-Ahli qualified as champions of the 2015–16 Saudi Pro League and winners of the 2016 King Cup. It was their first Saudi Super Cup appearance since the competition was introduced in 2013.Al-Hilal qualified as winners of the 2015–16 [Saudi Crown Prince Cup|2015–16 Crown Prince Cup], having defeated Al-Ahli 2–1 in the final on 19 February 2016 to claim a record-extending 13th title. This was their second Super Cup appearance, as they were also the defending champions, having won the previous edition in 2015.
The most recent meeting between the two sides prior to the Super Cup was a 3–1 victory for Al-Ahli at King Abdullah [Sports City Stadium|King Abdullah Stadium] on 24 April 2016. Al-Hilal took the lead through Carlos Eduardo in the 10th minute, but Omar Al-Somah scored twice in the second half to turn the match around, and Housain Al-Mogahwi sealed the win with a third goal in stoppage time. The result secured Al-Ahli the league title in dramatic fashion.