Football shock: Neom defeats Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Professional League
In one of the most exciting and closely contested matches, NEOM FC taught hosts Al-Ittihad a harsh footballing lesson, securing a dramatic 4-3 victory. This fiery encounter took place at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, as part of the 29th round of the Saudi Professional League, leaving Al-Ittihad in a precarious position in the standings.
General context and development of competition in Saudi football
The Saudi Professional League (SPL) is witnessing an unprecedented historical boom, with competition no longer limited to the traditional, popular clubs. The rise and success of NEOM FC is a true reflection of the sports investment project in Saudi Arabia and Vision 2030, which aims to raise the level of competitiveness and make the Saudi league one of the strongest in the world. In contrast, Al-Ittihad, a club with a rich history of local and continental titles and a pillar of Asian football, is experiencing a period of inconsistency that is worrying its large fan base, especially with the increasing strength of the rising clubs, which now boast top-level professionals and employ modern tactics capable of challenging the established giants.
Details and objectives of the Al-Ittihad vs. Neom match
The match began with a sweeping and powerful attacking display from Neom, who didn't wait long to threaten Al-Ittihad's goal. In the third minute, a swift and well-executed counter-attack saw the ball reach star player Saïd Benrahma, who unleashed a powerful shot. Despite goalkeeper Rajković's attempt to save it, VAR confirmed the ball had crossed the goal line, awarding Neom the first goal. The visitors weren't content with that, doubling their lead in the 16th minute through striker Luciano Rodríguez, whose low, driven shot found the back of the net.
Before the end of the first half, Al-Ittihad regained their balance thanks to a magical pass from Fabinho from midfield, which hit the defense line and reached striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who broke the offside trap and put it into goalkeeper Maximiano's net in the 38th minute. En-Nesyri returned to prove his brilliance by scoring his second personal goal and Al-Ittihad's goal in the 44th minute, ending the first half with an exciting positive draw.
As the second half began, Al-Ittihad continued their pressure, and from a corner kick, Danilo Pereira headed the ball towards goal, where Houssem Aouar finished it off, scoring Al-Ittihad's third goal in the 49th minute. But Neom's response was quick and decisive, as Muhannad Al-Saad equalized with a well-placed header in the 55th minute. Just when everyone thought the match was heading for a draw, in the (90+1) minute of stoppage time, Abdullah Doukouré delivered a decisive pass to his teammate Alaa Al-Hajji, who fired it into the net, securing a 4-3 victory for Neom.
The impact of the result on the Roshan League standings and the future of both teams
With this valuable victory, NEOM FC proves its ability to compete with the top teams, securing its eleventh league win and raising its points tally to 39, thus settling into eighth place. This strengthens its ambitions to remain among the top half of the table and confirms the success of its sporting project. On the other hand, Al-Ittihad suffered its ninth defeat this season, leaving its points total at 45 in sixth place. This result puts the Al-Ittihad team and its management under immense pressure, as it is now seriously threatened with missing out on participation in Asian championships next season. This necessitates a comprehensive review of the team's strategy before the remaining crucial rounds to salvage what can be salvaged.
