Thomas Partey made his Saudi Pro League debut for Al Shabab on Saturday, coming off the bench just hours after completing his move to the Riyadh-based club.
The 33-year-old Ghana midfielder entered the match in the 58th minute of Al Shabab's 1-1 draw with Al Khaleej, replacing Ali Hassan Al Asmari. He nearly marked the occasion with a goal in the 80th minute, but his effort narrowly missed the target.
Despite his limited time on the pitch, Partey looked composed and made an immediate impact. He completed 94% of his passes, found his target with all of his attempted long balls, and made one recovery.
"I think it's amazing. I like it. It's my first game here, and I thought we did great," Partey said after the match.
Al Shabab have collected just one point from their opening two league games and currently sit 13th in the Saudi Pro League standings. Their next assignment comes against Al Riyadh on August 25.
Partey signed a one-year deal with Al Shabab after leaving Spanish side Villarreal, where he made 32 appearances last season. He arrives in Saudi Arabia after a distinguished European career that included spells at Atlético Madrid and Arsenal.
The Black Stars deputy captain is expected to play an important role when Ghana resume international duty in September for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. Ghana will open their campaign against Côte d'Ivoire on September 23 before hosting The Gambia in Accra four days later.
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