Al-Khaleej defeats Al-Ettifaq 2-1 and jumps to eighth place in the Saudi League
The first football team of Al-Khaleej Club continued its strong performances, confirming the restoration of its technical and moral balance, after achieving a valuable and well-deserved victory over its neighbor and traditional rival, Al-Ettifaq Club, with a score of 2-1, in the match that brought them together on the grounds of Prince Mohammed bin Fahd City Stadium in Dammam, as part of the competitions of the fifteenth round of the Saudi Professional League.
This victory proves that “Al-Dana” has indeed overcome the weightlessness it experienced in the middle of the first round, as this victory is the second in a row for the team, after it succeeded in the last round in overcoming the obstacle of its guest Damac, a result that served as the spark that restored confidence to the players and the technical staff led by the experienced Greek coach Giorgos Donis.
Match scenario and Fernandez's brilliance
The match was not easy for either side, given the intense rivalry that usually characterizes derbies in the Eastern Province. However, Al-Khaleej appeared more organized and tactically disciplined, especially in the second half, which saw a radical shift in their attacking performance. This superiority culminated in a decisive second goal by the brilliant Spanish striker, Pablo Fernandez, who seized the opportunity to secure the three points for his team, confirming Al-Khaleej's dominance in this round.
Overcoming the setback of the big teams and getting back on track
Looking back at the team's journey this season, Al-Khaleej had a very positive start under Donis' leadership, before encountering a series of challenging matches that led to inconsistent results. The team suffered significant points losses against top clubs, beginning with a defeat to Al-Nassr, followed by a bitter exit from the King's Cup against Al-Kholoud, then a loss to the defending champions Al-Hilal, and finally a home defeat to Al-Fateh. However, the team demonstrated a strong character and a remarkable ability to recover quickly, reflecting the excellent technical and psychological work being done by the coaching staff.
A jump in the standings
This result takes on added significance in numerical terms, as Al-Khaleej raised its points tally to 21, accumulated from six wins and three draws, deservedly climbing to eighth place in the league standings. With this victory, Al-Khaleej narrowed the gap with its rival, Al-Ettifaq, to just one point, intensifying the competition in the mid-table. The team from Saihat aims to capitalize on this high morale to continue accumulating points in the upcoming rounds, with the goal of securing a higher position and avoiding the complexities of relegation amidst the fierce competition witnessed in the Saudi League this season.
