Al-Hilal's Italian coach, Simone Inzaghi, admitted that his team's performance was lackluster and fell short of expectations during their fiery "Clásico" match against Al-Ittihad, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Kingdom Arena. This match was part of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League, which was themed "Foundation Day Round," adding a special celebratory and patriotic atmosphere that intensified the competition.
In the post-match press conference, Inzaghi didn't make excuses, but bravely faced reality, saying: "We didn't perform at the level everyone expected of us, especially our large fan base. We appeared lackluster during crucial periods of the match, and we will thoroughly analyze these technical and physical shortcomings after reviewing the video footage to identify and address the errors immediately before the upcoming matches." The Italian coach expressed his deep disappointment at losing two valuable points, noting that the course of the match should have favored Al-Hilal, especially after the early red card for the opposing player.
Match scenario and missed opportunities
The match began at a fast pace with Al-Hilal launching a relentless attack, resulting in an early goal by Brazilian Malcom in the fifth minute, hinting at a goal fest to come. Al-Hilal's chances were boosted when Al-Ittihad defender Hassan Kadash was sent off in the ninth minute, forcing Al-Ittihad to play with ten men. Despite this numerical disadvantage, which lasted for over 80 minutes, Al-Hilal failed to capitalize on the situation to secure the victory, and their performance inexplicably declined in the second half.
Thanks to a well-organized defense and a high fighting spirit, Al-Ittihad managed to come back and equalize in the 53rd minute through their Algerian star, Houssem Aouar. Inzaghi commented, "We weren't good in the second half; we lost focus and control, and it's natural that I'm disappointed to have lost the three points and not maintained our lead." Inzaghi praised Al-Ittihad's goalkeeper, Rajkovic, who stood firm against Al-Hilal's attempts in the final minutes.
The importance of El Clásico and the impact of the result on the league
The Saudi Clasico between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad holds immense historical and popular significance, not only locally but also across the Arab world and Asia, given the rich history of both teams and the presence of international stars in their ranks. This draw has shifted the balance of power in the Saudi Professional League, with Al-Hilal dropping to second place with 54 points, while their arch-rivals Al-Nassr have taken the lead, capitalizing on Al-Hilal's slip to climb to the top spot by a single point after their victory over Al-Hazm.
On the other hand, this draw feels like a victory for Al-Ittihad, who reached 38 points in sixth place, confirming their ability to withstand the big teams despite adverse circumstances and numerical disadvantage, which will give the team a huge morale boost to improve their position in the remaining crucial rounds of the league.
