Abdulfattah Adam: Al Taawoun derby hero enjoying life back in Buraidah

Despite hailing from 500km west of Buraidah, Al Taawoun has always been home for Abdulfattah Adam.

After impressing with Al Jeel and Al Hazem earlier in his career, the Medina-born forward landed at Al Taawoun midway through the 2017-18 season. And, after making four appearances of the bench, Adam announced his arrival with his first start of the season against Al Ittihad – in stunning fashion.

With two goals and an assist, all in the first half, Adam helped blitz the Jeddah giants as Al Taawoun recorded a thumping 5-2 win.

Adam, then 22, would finish that campaign with three goals in eight matches, playing his part in Al Taawoun concluding the campaign in seventh place. While it was a good introduction to the Roshn Saudi League for the striker, both he and the club aspired for more.

Despite their relatively modest resources, Al Taawoun have always been a club that has batted above its average, to borrow a parlance from another sport. A few seasons earlier, in 2015-16, they had finished fourth and qualified for the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

For Adam, as an emerging talent making his way in the game, three goals in eight games represented a decent return for his first experience of top-flight football. Yet he wanted more.

Come the 2018-19 season, both player and club hit their straps. Al Taawoun finished a club-best third, while Adam bagged 12 goals in 25 games. Of the RSL’s local Saudis, only Saleh Al Shehri scored more, netting 16 times for Al Raed.

With a further three goals in Al Taawoun’s successful King’s Cup campaign, including in their stunning 5-0 semi-final win against Al Hilal, Adam finished the campaign with 15 goals from 30 matches. With that, he announced himself as a star of the future; so much so that Riyadh heavyweights Al Nassr came calling and pried him away.

But Adam’s time in the capital was blighted by injury. It marred his first season, with the still-young frontman making his debut only in December. It marked just one of seven appearances in the season.

A loan move to Al Raed the following campaign was also struck by injury, when Adam tore his ACL in December 2020. He returned to full fitness for the start of the 2021-22 season the following September, but persistent physical problems again restricted him to only five appearances.

Another loan spell, this time with Abha for the 2022-23 season, was more successful. Adam managed to play the bulk of the campaign, playing in 26 of a possible 30 matches. And, while his return of four goals fell below expectation, simply returning to the field of play consistently appeared success enough.

Looking to get his career back on track, Adam then returned to familiar surrounds last season at Al Taawoun, notching five times in 15 appearances as Pericles Chamusca’s side reeled off another, surprise, top-four finish.

Returning fresh after an off-season vacation to the north of Italy, taking in the sights of Lake Como and Milan, this was to be the season Adam rediscovered his best - now settled back at Al Taawoun and with, hopefully, his injury concerns behind him.

While largely limited to opportunities off the bench thus far, there are signs of the Adam of old returning, with his three RSL goals bettered at the club only by Musa Barrow. A threat in the air or on the ground, Adam’s quality of his finishing has been notable, both this season and last.

Arguably no goal, though, meant as much as the winner in last month’s Qassim Derby against his former side, Al Raed, a game in which he was handed a rare start.

Local derbies always matter that little bit more, especially when they’re against past employers, and with scores locked at 0-0 heading into the final 15 minutes, the game at King Abdullah Sport City needed a hero.

Enter Adam, right on cue. In a wonderfully worked team move, Awn Al Slaluli’s first-time ball into midfield found Barrow in plenty of space. Sensing the moment, the Gambian played a perfectly weighted ball that took out one of the Al Raed defenders and left Adam through on goal.

The instinctive left-footed finish beat Andre Moreira, who had otherwise been faultless that night, at his near post and took the spoils for Al Taawoun. The emotion of the celebration, hurtling the advertising hoardings and swinging his shirt in the air as he ran towards the fans to celebrate, showed how special that was for Adam.

It was also a finish that underlined the potential that has always existed within, and were in not for cruel luck with injury, who knows where his career might be by now. But the road travelled has routed him back to Al Taawoun. After a tumultuous few seasons, you sense that’s exactly where Adam belongs.