Al-Ittihad (the Dean) of Saudi Arabia delivered a remarkable footballing performance on Qatari soil, culminating in a resounding and well-deserved 4-1 victory over their Qatari hosts, Al-Sadd, at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. This match, part of the eighth and final round of the West Zone group stage in the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League, further solidified the dominance of Saudi football on the continental stage.
Details of the Dean's goal-scoring festival
The match began at a fast pace with both teams eager to score, as the referee disallowed an early goal by Al Sadd striker Roberto Firmino for offside. This early warning spurred Al Ittihad's stars to assert their dominance, with Houssem Aouar the scoring in the 10th minute with a powerful shot into the top right corner, capitalizing on a perfectly weighted cross from Muhannad Al Shanqiti. Just eight minutes later, Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri the lead in the 18th minute, after a brilliant through ball from Doumbia left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Al-Ittihad's pressure continued, resulting in a third goal in the 33rd minute, an own goal by Al-Sadd defender Pedro Miguel, who inadvertently deflected Mario Mitaj's cross into his own net. Before the end of the first half, Al-Sadd managed to reduce the deficit through Rafa Mojica in the 38th minute with a shot that deceived goalkeeper Rajkovic.
In the second half, Al-Ittihad continued their dominance, with Stefan Keller the team's four goals in the 63rd minute, after a clever follow-up to a header set up by Hassan Kadash, confirming Al-Ittihad's right to the three points.
Roadmap to the Round of 16
This result holds immense strategic importance in the tournament, as it raised Al-Ittihad's points tally to 15, securing them fourth place in the West Zone group. This position sets up an all-Gulf clash in the Round of 16 against their Emirati counterparts, Al-Wahda.
On the other hand, despite the heavy defeat, Al Sadd of Qatar narrowly secured qualification, finishing eighth with eight points. This result has placed them in a very difficult position in the next round, where they face a fiery encounter with the group leaders, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, in a highly anticipated Gulf derby that evokes memories of the two teams' historic clashes.
The context of the championship and the new system
This match comes under the new format of the AFC Champions League, which is witnessing fierce competition among the elite clubs of the Asian continent. Al-Ittihad's resounding victory reflects the team's readiness to compete for the continental title, benefiting from a constellation of world-class stars in its ranks, and confirming that the club's ambition extends beyond mere participation to reclaiming its Asian glory and reigning supreme on the continent.
