Summary of the Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Najma match: Doumbia's goal secures the three points
Al-Ittihad's first football team successfully returned to winning ways and corrected their course in the Saudi Professional League after achieving a hard-fought and valuable 1-0 victory over their guest, Al-Najma. The match took place this evening at Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah (The Shining Jewel), as part of the twentieth round of the competition, amidst a smaller-than-usual attendance for Al-Ittihad fans.
Details of the decisive goal and Diaby's brilliance
The match began with a clear attacking intent from Al-Ittihad, eager to settle matters early and capitalize on Al-Najma's retreat into their own half. The "Tigers" didn't take long to find the net, as French star Moussa Diaby exploited a fatal defensive lapse by Al-Najma, skillfully intercepting the ball and delivering a perfect pass to his Malian teammate, Mohamedou Doumbia. Doumbia didn't hesitate, unleashing a powerful, low shot that nestled into the bottom right corner of goalkeeper Victor Braga's net, giving Al-Ittihad the lead in the fourth minute.
Rajkovic saves the day at the last minute
Despite taking an early lead, the match was far from easy for the home side. Al-Najma repeatedly tried to equalize, intensifying their efforts in the second half. However, the brilliance of Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic proved a formidable obstacle to the visitors' ambitions, as he made several crucial saves, most notably a shot from Iraqi Ali Jassim in the dying minutes of stoppage time, preserving his clean sheet and securing all three points for his team.
The importance of winning and the two teams' positions in the standings
This victory is of paramount importance to Al-Ittihad at this stage of the season, as the team seeks to solidify its position in the league standings and compete for continental qualification spots, especially given the fierce competition in the Saudi league this season and the rise in the level of clubs thanks to international signings. These points serve as a significant morale boost for the players and coaching staff as they continue their journey.
With this result, Al-Ittihad raised their points tally to 34, securing their tenth win of the season and moving into sixth place, one step closer to the top four. Meanwhile, Al-Najma's situation worsened considerably, suffering their fourteenth defeat and remaining stuck on just 5 points in eighteenth and last place, putting the team under immense pressure to avoid relegation as the final third of the league approaches.
