Al-Ettifaq's first football team achieved a valuable and well-deserved victory over their guest, Damac, with a score of (2-0), in the exciting match that took place this evening at the new Al-Ettifaq Stadium (Ego) in Dammam, as part of the twenty-first round of the Saudi Professional League (Saudi Roshan League) for the current season.
The match saw a relative dominance by the home side, Al-Ettifaq, who capitalized on their early attacking advantage when Dutch international and midfield maestro Georginio Wijnaldum scored the opening goal in the 19th minute, giving his team the lead and the psychological advantage to control the flow of the game. The back-and-forth continued, with Damac attempting to equalize, but Al-Ettifaq's organized defense prevented them from doing so.
In the second half, while the visitors were looking for a loophole to equalize, player Mukhtar Ali dealt a knockout blow to Damac’s hopes by scoring the second goal in the (75) minute, confirming Al-Ettifaq’s superiority and securing the three points for his team, amidst overwhelming joy from the fans present in the stadium stands.
The context of the competition and the development of the Saudi League
This match takes on special significance within the context of the fierce competition witnessed in the Saudi Professional League this season, which has garnered global attention thanks to attracting a host of international football stars. The brilliance of a player of Wijnaldum's caliber with Al-Ettifaq is a tangible testament to the qualitative leap Saudi sports are experiencing, as these big names contribute to raising the technical level of matches and intensifying the competition for top positions.
This victory reflects the great technical work being done by the technical staff of Al-Ettifaq Club, in an effort to improve the team’s position in the standings and compete for the qualifying spots for continental championships and external participations, taking advantage of the home ground and crowd factors in its new stronghold in Dammam.
The two teams' positions in the standings
In numerical terms, this victory had a direct impact on the league standings; Al-Ettifaq raised their points tally to 35, consolidating their sixth-place position and providing a significant morale boost for the team as they look to continue their winning streak in the upcoming rounds. Conversely, this loss compounded the woes of Damac, whose points total remains at 12, leaving them temporarily in fifteenth place. This precarious situation necessitates a swift reassessment of their strategy to avoid being drawn into the relegation battle as the season nears its conclusion.
