Live Action: Al Ittihad v Al Ahli (Saudi Pro League)
Leaders-Mena magazine provided a live coverage of Thursday’s game between Al Ittihad and Al Ali in the 9th week of the Saudi Pro League.
Fulltime: Al Ittihad 1-0 Al Ahli
Scorers: S. Al-Shehri 42′
Yellow cards:
Abdulelah Al-Amri (Al Ittihad)
Ali Al-Asmari, Roger Ibañez, Franck Kessie (Al Ahli)
90+16′ Second half ends.
90+14′ Substitution for Al Ittihad: Abdulaziz Al-Bishi comes in for Moussa Diaby
90+12′ Moussa Diaby hits the left post with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by N’Golo Kanté following a fast break.
90+11′ Corner kick for Al Ahli
90+9′ Substitution for Al Ahli: Sumayhan Al-Nabit replaces Gabri Veiga
90+8′ Free kick for Al Ittihad in their own half
90+4′ Al Ahi’s Franck Kessie receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
90+2′ Al Ahli’s Ibañez gets a yellow card for a bad foul
90′ The fourth official signals 13 minutes of added time.
89′ Goal kick for Al Ittihad
88′ Al Ahli’s Roberto Firmino wins a free kick in the attacking half.
86′ Corner kick for Al Ittihad.
86′ Substitution for Al Ittihad: Abdulrahman Al-Obud replaces Steven Bergwijn.
85′ Al Ittihad’s Predrag Rajkovic wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84′ Hand ball by Al Ittihad’s Saad Al-Mousa
82′ Substitution for Al Ahli: Roberto Firmino replaces Saad Balobaid
81′ Throw in for Al Ahli.
73′ Substitution for Al Ittihad: Hassan Kadish comes in for Saleh Al-Shehri
70′ With twenty minutes remaining, Al Ittihad are still in the lead, and are dominating the game with 54% possession.
69′ Substitution for Al-Ahli. Ziyad Al-Johani replaces Ali Al-Asmari
69′ Foul by Al Ahli’s Ivan Toney
67′ Al Ahli are pushing forward in an attempt to level the score.
66′ Goal kick for Al Ittihad
64′ Al Ahli’s Ali Al-Asmari receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
63′ Al Ittihad’s Steven Bergwijn wins a free kick in the attacking half.
62′ Goal overturned following a VAR check
(GOAL) Franck Kessie strikes with his left foot from the centre of the box following a set piece situation
59′ GOAAAAAL.. Al Ahli equalize
56′ Corner kick for Al Ahli.
55′ Al Ittihad’s N’Golo Kanté wins a free kick in the defensive half
52′ WHAT A CHANCE! Rayan Hamed’s header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
51′ Al Ittihad’s Mario Mitaj wins a free kick in the defensive half
50′ Al- Amri receives a yellow card.
50′ Foul by Al Ittihad’s Abdulelah Al-Amri.
47′ Moussa Diaby’s left-footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Muhannad Al Shanqiti.
46′ Second half begins
45+7′ First half ends
45+6′ Abdulelah Al Amri hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Moussa Diaby with a cross following a corner.
45+6′ Corner kick for Al Ittihad from the left side
45+4′ Al Ittihad win a free kick following a hand ball by Franck Kessie.
45+3′ Al Ahli win a free kick in the right side of their own half.
45′ Match officials signal 6 minutes of added time.
(GOAL) Saleh Al-Shehri converts Moussa Diaby’s cross with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal
42′ GOAAAAAL… Al Ittihad score.
41′ Goal kick for Al Ittihad
39′ Al Ahli win a free kick in the left side of their own half
38′ Throw in for Al Ittihad in Al Ahli’s own half
36′ Corner kick for Al Ittihad from the left side
36′ Al Ittihad are pushing forward seeking to score an early goal, but so far all their attempts failed
34′ Foul by Al Ahli’s Franck Kessie.
33′ Saad Al-Mousa wins a free kick in the attacking half.
32′ Corner kick for Al Ittihad
30′ At the half-hour mark, the game remains tied, though Al Ittihad are dominating with 58% possession.
28′ Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby gets in a left-footed strike but fails to hit the target.
27′ Steven Bergwijn’s right-footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Houssem Aouar.
26′ Corner for Al Ittihad, conceded by Rayan Hamed.
23′ Throw in for Al Ittihad
21′ Throw in for Al Ittihad
19′ Al Ittihad’s Houssem Aouar wins a free kick on the left wing.
18′ Goal kick for Al Ittihad
16′ Al Ahli’s Ali Majrashi wins a free kick in the defensive half
14′ Abdulelah Al Amri’s header from a difficult angle on the right is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Moussa Diaby with a cross following a corner.
12′ Steven Bergwijn’s right-footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
11′ Franck Kessie’s left-footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Feras Al Buraikan.
10′ Throw in for Al Ahli
8′ Throw in for Al Ittihad
4′ Throw in for Al Ahli on the opposite half.
0′ Firs half begins
Lineups:
Al Ittihad: Predrag Rajković; Abdulelah Al-Amri, Muhannad Shanqeeti, Saad Al-Mousa, Mario Mitaj; Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, Houssem Aouar; Steven Bergwijn (Abdulrahman Al-Obud 86), Saleh Al-Shehri (Hassan Kadish 73), Moussa Diaby
📋| The lineup for the derby game#Alittihad_AlAhli ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Phx3Z90OfE
— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) October 31, 2024
Al Ahli: Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi; Ali Majrashi, Roger Ibañez, Rayan Hamed, Saad Balobaid (Roberto Firmino 82); Ali Al-Asmari (Ziyad Al Johani 69), Franck Kessié, Gabri Veiga (Sumayhan Al-Nabit 90+9); Riyad Mahrez, Firas Al-Buraikan, Ivan Toney
STARTING XI 🆚 Al-Ittihad#الأهلي_الاتحاد#RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/pEqdlyQfdV
— Al-Ahli Saudi Club (@ALAHLI_FCEN) October 31, 2024
19:00 Al Ittihad have won five and lost one in their last six league matches, while Al Ahli have won two, drawn two, and lost two.
16:00 Al Ittihad could miss injured trio Ahmed Bamsaud, Ahmed Mohammed Sharahili, and Danilo Pereira, while Al Ahli are without goalkeeper Edouard Mendy due to injury.
15:00 Possible Lineups:
Al Ittihad: Rajkovic; Al Amri, Al-Mousa, Shanqeeti, Mitaj; Fabinho, Kante, Diaby; Aouar, Bergwijn, Benzema
Al Ahli: Al-Sanbi; Hamed, Demiral, Ibanez, Al Ammar; Kessie, Aljohani; Mahrez, Veiga, Firmino, Toney
14:00 Al Ahli hold the advantage in their rivalry, winning 72 encounters against Al Ittihad’s 60. Additionally, 57 matches have ended in draws. However, their latest meeting in April 2024 saw Al Ahli secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Al Ittihad.
13:00 Al Ittihad enter the game in excellent form, sitting second in the league standings with 21 points, three behind leaders Al Hilal. They boast a six-game winning streak in both the league and King’s Cup. Meanwhile, Al Ahli struggle with consistency as they currently in eighth place with 11 points from eight games.
12:00 Al Ittihad are gearing up to host Al Ahli on Thursday in the 9th week of the Saudi Pro League, with the Yellow Tigers aiming to maintain their winning run and avenge their last season’s defeats to their city rivals.
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City Stadium
Referee: Jesus Valenzuela Saez (Venezuela)
Check the match preview HERE