Saudi Pro League top 2 Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad stunned

Special Saudi Pro League top 2 Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad stunned
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slots home the winner against Al-Hilal. (X/AlQadsiahEN)
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Updated 27 January 2025
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Saudi Pro League top 2 Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad stunned

Saudi Pro League top 2 Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad stunned
  • Al-Qadsiah defeat table-toppers Al-Hilal 2-1 to remain in the title race
  • Mid-table Damac triumph over second-place Al-Ittihad by the same margin

On a day of upsets in the Saudi Pro League, table toppers Al-Hilal and second-place Al-Ittihad both fell to 2-1 away defeats, at the hands of Al-Qadsiah and Damac respectively.

The losses were only the second in 17 games this season for each of the title rivals. The results keep Al-Qadsiah very much in the title race, in third place on 37 points just six behind the top two.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did the damage for Al-Qadsiah very early and very late in the game. With less than two minutes on the clock, the former Barcelona and Arsenal ace volleyed home from close range after Cameron Puertas swung the ball over from the left corner.

The visitors were shell-shocked and had to wait until early in the second half before they managed to get back on level terms. Just moments after Julian Quinones had a chance to put his side two goals ahead, only to head over from a great position, Al-Qadsiah were punished when in-form Marcos Leonardo pounced on a loose ball just outside the area and drilled a perfect low shot just inside the right-hand post. It was his seventh league goal this month.

Al-Hilal then hit the woodwork and had a goal disallowed before Aubameyang struck again, in the 94th minute. Allowed too much time inside the area, he slotted the ball home.

Al-Hilal could at least take some comfort from the fact that Al-Ittihad, equal in points but 10 adrift on goal difference, also lost, falling 2-1 to Damac, also deep into added time.

Georges-Kevin N’Koudou put the hosts ahead after 17 minutes with his ninth goal of the season. But the Tigers canceled it out deep into first-half injury time, when French striker Karim Benzema got on the end of a curling cross from Abdulrahman Al-Oboud that had evaded three defenders, and headed high into the net at the far post for his 13th goal of the season.

Al-Ittihad pushed for the winner throughout the second half and thought they had it six minutes from time, but Danilo Pereira’s strike was ruled out for offside.

There was still time for a winner but in the event it went to the home side, once again provided by N’Koudou. Four minutes into added time, his shot from outside the area took a slight deflection that was enough to give goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic no chance. The result leaves Damac in 10th place on 21 points.


Benzema stars as Al-Ittihad go clear at the top

Benzema stars as Al-Ittihad go clear at the top
Updated 16 February 2025
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Benzema stars as Al-Ittihad go clear at the top

Benzema stars as Al-Ittihad go clear at the top
  • Al-Ittihad now have 52 points from 20 games, four ahead of Al-Hilal and eight clear of Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Wehda 4-1 on Saturday to move four points clear of Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi Pro League thanks to a vintage display from Karim Benzema who scored one and made two.

Just 24 hours after Al-Hilal were held at home by Al-Riyadh, Ittihad made no such mistake in the Old Derby. 

It was a tough match however, one which exploded into life in an eight minute period just before the break.

Muhammad Al-Shanqiti opened the scoring after 37 minutes for the visitors. Benzema slipped the full-back through on the right side of the area and he shot across into the net from a tight angle. After a VAR check, the goal stood.

It was a short lived lead as Al Wehda were back in level terms five minutes later.

Jawad El-Yamiq picked up possession outside the area and while the Moroccan's shot was fierce, Predrag Rajkovic seemed to have made the save but the ball slipped from the goalkeeper’s grasp and into the net.

There was just enough time before the half time whistle for Benzema to put the Tigers back in front. Moussa Diaby controlled a bouncing ball in the area and then, under close attention from the defence, back heeled to his fellow Frenchman.

There was still a lot of work for the former Real Madrid star to do but he made a little space and drilled a perfect low shot into the corner to ensure that the Jeddah giants went in ahead at the break with his 15th goal of the season in the league.

Steven Bergwijn was extended Ittihad’s lead on the hour. The Dutchman fired home after a Diaby shot had been blocked.

The visitors put the icing on the cake deep into injury time. Benzema squeezed a pass through a crowded penalty area and there was Houssem Aouar alone in the box to add a fourth for the league leaders who are looking very good indeed.

Al-Ittihad now have 52 points from 20 games, four ahead of Al-Hilal and eight clear of Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah.


Al-Hilal slip up again following draw with Al-Riyadh

Al-Hilal slip up again following draw with Al-Riyadh
Updated 15 February 2025
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Al-Hilal slip up again following draw with Al-Riyadh

Al-Hilal slip up again following draw with Al-Riyadh
  • More ground lost in Saudi Pro League chase

RIYADH: Al-Hilal drew 1-1 with Al-Riyadh on Friday to slump to a second successive draw and lose ground on Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.

Just six days after drawing 2-2 with Damac, the champions could not find a way to victory and they could fall four points behind Al-Ittihad if the Tigers win on Saturday.

It could have been worse as Al-Hilal could have been more than one goal down at the break.

Mohamed Konate hit the back of the net after 24 minutes. Sekou Lega swung over a beautiful cross from the left and Konate rose high in the area to head past Yassine Bounou. The effort, however, was ruled out for offside.

Konate did net in first-half added time, though, to give the visitors the lead. He ran onto a long ball, chested the ball down on the edge of the penalty area, and then lifted his shot into the back of the net with the classiest of finishes.

Al-Hilal’s players trudged off at the break with manager Jorge Jesus looking less than impressed.

The second half proved better for the hosts but Al-Riyadh had the ball in the net again just before the hour. This time it was Lega who finished smartly in the area but, once more, VAR intervened and it was no goal.

Just moments later, Al-Hilal were level with the sweetest of strikes. Marcos Leonardo’s defense-splitting pass found Salem Al-Dawsari arriving from the left and the winger took one touch inside the area and then slipped the ball past the goalkeeper with ease.

There was more pressure from the home team but they could not quite find the all-important winning goal.

Chances were missed but the home team seemed to have been given a route to victory when Abdulelah Al-Khaibari was ruled to have handled in the box. Referee Ivan Barton pointed to the spot but his decision was reversed following a VAR review.

That was that and Al-Hilal’s mini-slump continued.


Newcomer Duran stars as 10-man Al-Nassr defeat Al-Ahli

Newcomer Duran stars as 10-man Al-Nassr defeat Al-Ahli
Updated 14 February 2025
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Newcomer Duran stars as 10-man Al-Nassr defeat Al-Ahli

Newcomer Duran stars as 10-man Al-Nassr defeat Al-Ahli
  • 2 goals from the newcomer help secure an impressive away win that keeps Al-Nassr in 3rd place
  • Earlier, 4th-place Al-Qadsiah came from a goal behind and a man down to win 3-2 at Al-Shabab

Al-Nassr won 3-2 at Al-Ahli on Thursday to keep their the Saudi Pro League title hopes alive. Two goals from new signing Jhon Duran made the difference in Jeddah as the Riyadh side came away with an impressive victory despite playing with 10 men for almost the entire second half.

It means Al-Nassr remain in third place, just three points behind Al-Hilal and five behind league leaders Al-Ittihad, who play tomorrow and Saturday respectively.

The home fans were on their feet in the sixth minute when Riyad Mahrez fired home after running on to a long ball out of defense, but the former Manchester City star was offside.

Duran made no such mistake just after the half-hour mark. Ayman Yahya slipped a pass to the Colombian, who controlled the ball on the edge of the area and spun around in one swift movement before unleashing a shot that ended up in the bottom corner.

Just after the restart, Al-Ahli had a goal ruled out by the video assistant referee, but a red card handed to Al-Nassr defender Mohammed Simakan, for an elbow on Ivan Toney, stood.

Toney got his revenge in the 78th minute, when he climbed majestically at the far post to head home a Gabri Veiga cross from the left, finally defeating an impressive Bento in goal.

The home fans might have expected Al-Ahli to continue to push forward in search of a win but it was to be the visitors who would score next, twice.

Yahya was up first, hitting the net on the second attempt after his first-time shot from the corner of the six-yard box was parried by Edouard Mendy.

Then, just before the end of the regulation 90 minutes, Duran produced a goal to remember. Running from the halfway line, he beat two defenders as if they were not there and then stroked a low shot home from just inside the area, sending the away fans wild with delight. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.

Sumaihan Al-Nabit pulled one back in the eighth minute of added time but it was too little too late for fifth-place Al-Ahli, who have otherwise been in great form in the league.

Earlier, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saw red but his Al-Qadsiah teammates showed their mettle by coming from a goal behind and a man down to win 3-2 at Al-Shabab.

The Gabonese goal-getter was sent off with 11 minutes remaining, and his team 2-1 behind, but late goals from Ali Hazazi and Julian Quinones delivered a famous victory. Al-Qadsiah remain in fourth place in the league, trailing Al-Nassr only on goal difference.
 


Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
Updated 13 February 2025
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Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
  • Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper to put Al-Taawoun 2-1 ahead
  • Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala

Al-Taawoun drew 2-2 with Al-Wakrah of Qatar on Wednesday in the first leg of their round of 16 clash in AFC Champions League Two.

After taking the lead twice, to come away with a draw may have been a little disappointing, but the result puts the Saudi Arabian team within sight of advancing in the continental competition toward a major piece of silverware.

With fine results from Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the Champions League Elite — with all three teams already booking a place in the knockout stage of Asia’s premier tournament — their Saudi Pro League counterparts are now in a good position to go deeper in the continent’s second-tier competition.

The return match takes place in Buraidah next week and Al-Taawoun, who finished top of Group B in the first round, are the favorites to progress against their Qatari opponents, but there is still some work to do.

The visitors from Saudi Arabia were ahead after just 12 minutes at Khalifa International Stadium. Roger Martinez was brought down in the area and after the referee pointed to the spot, up stepped Aschraf El-Mahdioui to fire home the resultant penalty.

Al-Taawoun had chances in the first half to extend their lead but were left to regret those missed opportunities 10 minutes after the restart as the team from Qatar equalized, Ayoub Assal scoring at the far post after connecting with Farid Boulaya’s cross.

The Saudi Arabians were back in front just after the hour after Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper.

However, Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala who shot home from just outside the six-yard box after good work from Boulaya on the left. 

The second leg takes place at the home of Al-Taawoun next Wednesday.


Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best

Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best
Updated 09 February 2025
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Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best

Inside Ittihad: A match day experience to rival the world’s best
  • In this special three-part feature, Arab News goes behind the scenes at Al-Ittihad to discover how the club has transformed its off-field operations
  • In Part 1, we look at how the home of the league leaders continues to produce some of the most colorful and noisy match experiences in the region

RIYADH: A big screen bombarding match-going fans with advertisements, an emcee screaming at the top of their lungs and a playlist of overly commercialized pop music devoid of any meaning or connection.

Welcome to the experience for many football fans the world over.

As the football world becomes smaller thanks to technology and globalization, the matchday experience has become increasingly gentrified as clubs follow the same playbook to entertain their fans. If you’ve been to enough games, you’ll have encountered this.

So, as a club looking to grow its global resonance, how does Al-Ittihad ensure it doesn’t fall into the same trap and instead continues to offer something distinctly Saudi Arabian to its increasingly international audience?

Enter Salma Malaeb, senior manager of matchday experience at Al-Ittihad, whose job it is to create an atmosphere unique to Saudi Arabia’s oldest football club.

The simplest experience, Malaeb told Arab News, is the stadium playlist.

“A lot of the playlist songs are actual Ittihad songs written by Ittihad artists, because the club is a community in itself, you know?

“You have a lot of local artists, a lot of creatives. We try to even work with the creatives, for example, in the fan zone. We have a pop-up from time to time, (where) we work with a local artist, so we try to incorporate the community into matchday through these little things, while at the same time trying to modernize it.

“Because, yes, we do want to reach international standards, but we also want to maintain the identity of the club, and this is maintained (by) our Ultras as well. They will make you feel like this is Saudi football, and this is what football means to them.”

The biggest expression of their passion is undoubtedly the iconic full-stadium tifos that have become synonymous with the Al-Ittihad matchday experience.

Malaeb, who has only been in the role for just over six months and has previously worked for Real Madrid and at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, sees first-hand the work that goes into preparing the displays.

Aside from facilitating the pre-match planning and coordination, the club is largely uninvolved in the process, preferring to keep it a uniquely fan-controlled initiative.

“In terms of how much it’s controlled by the club, we really try to not control it,” she explained. “We want it to be as genuine as possible, coming straight from these hardcore fans.

“A lot of sponsors have tried to engage in some way, but for us, it’s always like: ‘No, we really want to keep this for them.’ This is something for the audience, this is something for these fans.”

And how much work goes into coordinating these works of art? Simple answer — a lot.

“We see it because we’re behind the scenes,” she explained.

“They work with an artist (who) comes up with the designs. This is basically the process. But then, operationally, we see them matchday minus one, matchday minus two working on it, hanging it on the seats.

“It’s really incredible, the amount of work and dedication that it takes. But the guys here, they work tirelessly around the clock to get a tifo in place. So, it’s honestly a work of art, really.”

And much like the greatest art galleries of the world, there is a lure so compelling that it just draws people in, converting them into fans — Malaeb included.

“When you see the dedication, and you actually see the results of this, honestly, automatically, you fall in love with the club,” Malaeb said.

“Because football is about the passion behind it, right? It’s about the fans. This is what makes football so beautiful. So, when you get to know the club, and you get to see the passion and dedication that these guys put in around the club to try to get something like this done, you just fall in love with it.

“I’ve been here for six months, but I swear, I am in love with this club. You can’t help it.”

And when fans visit the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, that is the emotion Malaeb wants every single one of them to feel. She wants them to feel at home, even if they do share the stadium with crosstown rivals, Al-Ahli. On matchday, when it’s decked out top-to-bottom in yellow and black, she wants them to feel a sense of belonging.

That includes, in increasing numbers, families and female fans. Now that they know a woman is behind the matchday operations, women are “even more excited” to attend matches, Malaeb said.

“Also, a lot of kids, because now they know we’re trying to entertain the kids with our tiger mascot, getting him more involved on a match day, visiting different areas of the stadium, interacting with the spectators.

“We do notice that, and I know I’m relatively new here, but I hear from my colleagues, and they tell me the atmosphere has changed,” she added.

If you ever find yourself walking into the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, don’t expect just any experience. Expect something more unique.

Where Liverpool has “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Al-Ittihad has “The Nation’s Club,” a thunderous anthem the fans belt out pre-game as the players stand arm-in-arm in front of them. It gets the hairs standing every time.

They may now operate in a global environment, but Al-Ittihad remains rooted in the local community.