Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Ettifaq 3-1 this Thursday. The game for the 33rd round of Campeonato Saudita took place at EGO Stadium, at Dammam. Houssem Aouar, Moussa Diaby twice and Khalid Al-Ghannam scored the goals.
Sérgio Conceição’s team played without a regular center forward. Mesmo thus, the team took the lead after just three minutes. The result keeps Al-Ittihad in the fight for fifth place, which gives Liga a place in the AFC’s Campeões playoffs.
Al-Ittihad opens the scoring early and dominates the first half
Houssem Aouar opened the scoring after three minutes. Mario Mitaj assisted on the play on the left. Al-Ittihad pressed in the opening minutes and expanded in the 19th minute with Moussa Diaby. Fabinho participated in the bidding.
Al-Ettifaq reacted and pulled one back in the 26th minute. Khalid Al-Ghannam submitted after an assist from João Costa. The home team had more possession at the end of the first half, but Al-Ittihad went into the break with a 2-1 lead.
- Escalação from Al-Ittihad: Rajković; Šimić, Kadesh, Danilo Pereira; Al-Shanqiti, Mitaj; Fabinho, Al-Nashri; Aouar, Diaby, Bergwijn.
- Gols: Aouar (3′), Diaby (19′ and 79′).
- Substituições: Bergwijn by Al-Obud (26′), Al-Nashri by Al-Ghamdi (72′), Diaby by Al Bishi (89′), Aouar by Al-Shehri (89′).
Diaby decides in the second half and guarantees victory
Moussa Diaby scored Al-Ittihad’s third goal in the 79th minute. The play came from a counterattack. The Frenchman was the highlight of the match and received the highest rating among the players on the field.
Al-Ettifaq tried to press in the final minutes, but were unable to close the gap. Muhannad Al-Shanqiti received a yellow card in the 93rd minute for a foul. Referee Abdullah Al-Kharbosh whistled the end of the match after six minutes of added time.
📸| Highlights from the first half ⚽️#Alittihad_Ettifaq pic.twitter.com/SqaoJnt08n
— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) May 14, 2026
Formação without a center forward works for Sérgio Conceição
The Portuguese coach repeated the strategy tested before the game. Youssef En-Nesyri and another attacker were left out. Aouar played more advanced, while Diaby and Bergwijn explored the sides. The mobility of the offensive trio created spaces in the opposing defense.
Al-Ittihad scored three important points away from home. With the victory, the team reaches 55 points and approaches the first placed in the final stretch of the tournament.
Al-Ettifaq does not take advantage of field command
The home team, led by Saad Al-Shehri, made just one change compared to the previous game. Mukhtar Ali entered midfield. Moussa Dembélé played as a center forward, but the attack did little to bother Al-Ittihad’s defense.
Khalid Al-Ghannam and João Costa were the main names on the offensive side. Al-Ettifaq remains with 49 points and sees the classification zone for continental competitions getting further away.
Números of the match confirms superiority of Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad had more shots and better use in transitions. The visiting team controlled the midfield better with Fabinho and Aouar. Al-Ettifaq had opportunities from set pieces, but stopped in Predrag Rajković’s defense.
- Posse with ball: balanced, with a slight advantage for Al-Ettifaq.
- Finalizações: Al-Ittihad with the most clear chances.
- Cartões: a yellow for Al-Ittihad.
Classificação and upcoming challenges
The result leaves Al-Ittihad in a good position in the table. The team has 15 wins, seven draws and nine defeats. Al-Ettifaq has recorded 14 wins, seven draws and 11 defeats.
Both teams still have commitments ahead of them in the last round. The focus now is on physical recovery and preparation for the decisive games that define the continental places.
