Jalal Qadri: Al-Hilal deserved the win, and these are the reasons for Al-Hazm's loss

Tunisian Jalal Qadri, the technical director of Al-Hazm team, acknowledged Al-Hilal's right to the resounding victory that they achieved over his team with three goals to nil, in the match that brought them together in the capital, Riyadh, as part of the fourteenth round of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Professional League Cup.

In the press conference that followed the match, Qadri gave a realistic analysis of the course of the encounter, stressing that his team had a good first half tactically and tried to keep up with the pace of the match, but the technical and physical differences played a decisive role in determining the final result in favor of the home team.

Recognition of technical and physical differences

In his remarks, Qadri explained that the loss, despite its harsh scoreline, was deserved and logical given the course of the game. He said, "We played well at certain points, but Al-Hilal is a very strong team, both physically and mentally, and this is what we clearly lacked after conceding the goals in quick succession." The coach pointed out that facing a team of Al-Hilal's caliber, with its extensive experience in domestic and continental competitions, requires complete readiness and high concentration throughout the ninety minutes, which was difficult to achieve under the team's current circumstances.

The impact of absences and fatigue in the Arab Cup

The Al-Hazm coach addressed the direct reasons for the decline in performance, especially in the second half, attributing it to a drop in fitness levels and a lack of decisive attacking solutions. He added, "We tried to come back in the second half and took risks in attack to reduce the deficit, but we were unsuccessful due to a lack of speed and the final touch.".

He also highlighted the injury crisis plaguing the team, noting the absence of several key players. He specifically mentioned Algerian star Amir Sayoud, whom the coaching staff opted not to risk due to his incomplete physical condition following an injury sustained while playing for his national team in the Arab Cup, a tournament that has taken a toll on many professional players in the Saudi league.

The context of the competition and the impact of the result

This loss underscores the difficulty faced by mid-table and lower-ranked teams when playing in Riyadh against Al-Hilal, a team that consistently strives for the top spot. This result puts Al-Hazm in a position where they must reassess their tactical and physical strategies to return to winning ways and secure their place in the Saudi Professional League standings, which are witnessing fierce competition this season, both in the title race and the relegation battle.