Al-Ittihad secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Al-Shabab in a thrilling Saudi Pro League match at the King Fahd International Stadium on Friday. The win sees Al-Ittihad move into second place in the table, eight points behind leaders Al-Hilal, while Al-Shabab remain in sixth place.
Al-Ittihad took the lead in the 25th minute through Romarinho, who finished off a flowing counter-attacking move. Al-Shabab equalized just before half-time through Ever Banega, who curled a free-kick into the top corner.
The second half was just as exciting, with both teams creating chances to score. Al-Ittihad finally got the winning goal in the 75th minute through Abderrazak Hamdallah, who headed home from a corner.
Al-Shabab pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Al-Ittihad held on to secure a vital victory.
Key Stats
- Al-Shabab had more possession (60%) and more shots (15) than Al-Ittihad, but the visitors were more clinical in front of goal.
- Al-Ittihad have now won their last four away matches against Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.
- Al-Shabab have won their last three home games in all competitions, but they have now lost their last two league games.
Post-Match Reaction
Al-Ittihad coach Nuno Espirito Santo:
"I am very proud of my players for their performance today. We played against a very good team, but we showed great character and determination to win. We created a lot of chances and we deserved to win. This is a very important victory for us, and it puts us in a good position to challenge for the title."
Al-Shabab coach Karim Benzema:
"We are disappointed with the result, but we cannot complain about the performance. We created a lot of chances, but we didn't take them. We also made a few mistakes at the back, and that cost us. We need to learn from our mistakes and move on."
