Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Gharafa match result: A clean 7-0 victory qualifies Al-Ittihad for the Asian Champions League
On an unforgettable night of football at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, "The Shining Jewel," in Jeddah, Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia delivered a stunning performance, culminating in a resounding 7-0 victory over their Qatari visitors, Al-Gharafa, in the seventh round of the AFC Champions League. This emphatic win was more than just three points; it officially secured Al-Ittihad's qualification for the Round of 16 of the prestigious continental competition, sending a powerful message to all their rivals in Asia.
Details of the Al-Ittihad Goals Festival
The match began with a fierce attacking intent from the home side, with Moroccan star Youssef En-Nesyri needing only three minutes to open the scoring, marking his first goal for Al-Ittihad after a precise pass from Muhannad Al-Shanqiti. The onslaught continued, with Algerian star Houssem Aouar scoring the second goal in the 20th minute with a low, driven shot. The first half ended with a comfortable lead, although a goal by Roger Fernandez was disallowed for offside.
In the second half, Al-Ittihad's attacking machine exploded, with Roger Fernandez making amends for his earlier disallowed goal by scoring the third in the 49th minute. Just two minutes later, Danilo Pereira added a fourth with a perfectly placed header (51st minute). The brilliant Houssem Aouar then cemented his status as the star of the match, scoring the fifth goal (58th minute), before Fernandez added his second and the team's sixth (62nd minute). Aouar capped off the evening with his seventh goal and his hat-trick in the 79th minute, amidst chants of "Mizyan ya Ittihad mizyan" from the fans.
Context of the event and its continental significance
This great victory brings back memories of Al-Ittihad's historical prestige in Asian championships, a team that previously reigned supreme in the continent twice consecutively in the 2004 and 2005 editions. This match is of particular importance as it comes in the newly established "AFC Champions League Elite" edition, which includes the strongest teams in the continent, thus confirming the team's readiness to compete for the title this season.
The high technical performance reflects the great harmony between the new signings and the core players, especially with the brilliance of international names such as Houssem Aouar, Moussa Diaby and Youssef En-Nesyri, which enhances the team’s chances not only continentally, but also locally in Saudi competitions.
The two teams' positions in the standings
With this historic result, Al-Ittihad raised their points tally to 12, securing fifth place in the West Zone and officially guaranteeing their place in the knockout stages (Round of 16), continuing their quest for a third Asian title. Meanwhile, Al-Gharafa's situation became more complicated as they remained stuck on 6 points in tenth place, suffering their fifth defeat in the tournament, putting the team under immense pressure in the remaining matches to try and catch up with the other qualified teams.
