The strong match between Al-Ittihad and Damac ended in a 1-1 draw last night at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha, as part of the Saudi Professional League rounds, in a match characterized by competitiveness and excitement until its last moments.
Match goals and first half highlights
The match began cautiously from both sides, before the home team, Damac, surprised the visitors by opening the scoring in the 37th minute. The goal came from the brilliant Abdullah Al-Qahtani, who cleverly capitalized on a counter-attacking opportunity and poor defensive positioning by Al-Ittihad to put his team ahead. However, Al-Ittihad's response was swift, as they intensified their attacking pressure before the halftime whistle. The flying full-back, Muhannad Al-Shanqiti, managed to equalize in the 45th minute, bringing the game back to square one before the break.
Tactical struggle and the difficulty of the Al-Mahala stadium
The second half witnessed a high level of technical and tactical battle between the two coaches. Al-Ittihad dominated possession and controlled the midfield, attempting to break down Damac's compact defense. In contrast, Damac relied on a well-organized defense and swift counter-attacks, capitalizing on home advantage and the support of their fans. It's worth noting that playing in Abha, specifically at the Al-Mahala Stadium, always presents a significant challenge for visiting teams due to the city's high altitude, which can sometimes affect the players' physical performance. Damac tried to exploit this to secure a positive result against one of the league's giants.
The two teams' positions in the standings
With this result, Al-Ittihad only added one point to their tally, bringing it to 27 points and maintaining their sixth-place position. This falls short of the ambitions of the "Tigers" fans, who always hope to compete for the top spot and win titles. Meanwhile, Damac raised their points total to 10, placing them fourteenth. This valuable point helps them distance themselves from the relegation zone and improve their position in the safer mid-table. This result underscores the strength and competitiveness of the Saudi Professional League, where there are no easy matches, and the battle remains open at all levels, both at the top and the bottom.
