The Brazilian coach of Al-Taawoun, Pericles Chamusca, expressed his great pride and appreciation for the level presented by his players, despite the loss suffered by the team against Al-Ittihad by a single goal, in the strong match that brought them together on Saturday evening as part of the competitions of the thirteenth round of the Saudi Professional League.
Shamouska's statements about the difficulty of the confrontation
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shamouska confirmed that he was fully aware of the difficulty of the task before it began. The Brazilian coach attributed this difficulty to the high technical quality of Al-Ittihad's players, the defending champions and a team packed with international stars, in addition to the adverse circumstances Al-Taawoun faced, namely the significant absences of key players, including Waleed Al-Ahmad, Musa Barrow, and Fulgini.
Budget difference and heroic performance
The Al-Taawoun coach added in his remarks, which reflected a realistic approach to the league's course: “Despite all the circumstances, we delivered a very good performance. We mustn't forget that we faced an opponent with players on a huge budget and significant market value differences. Nevertheless, I was proud of my team, who never gave up.” Shamouska cited his team's competitiveness and strong performance by pointing to the extreme physical exhaustion displayed by Al-Ittihad players after the final whistle, as evidence of their collapse on the pitch. He considered this irrefutable proof of the tremendous effort exerted by Al-Taawoun players and the pressure they applied throughout the ninety minutes.
Competition context of the Roshan League
This match comes amidst an exceptional season in the Saudi League, where the level of competition has risen significantly following the acquisition of world-class players by the top four clubs (Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ahli). Al-Taawoun, under the leadership of Shamouska, deserves credit for its ability to challenge these clubs for a top-four finish, establishing itself as a dark horse of the tournament and capable of upsetting the giants despite the financial disparity.
Impact of the result on the standings table
With this result, Al-Taawoun's points tally remains at 28, keeping them in third place in the Roshan League standings. This setback intensifies the competition at the top of the table, as the gap with second-placed Al-Hilal (who have a game in hand) remains narrow, confirming that the battle for Asian Champions League qualification spots will continue until the final rounds of the competition, given the closely matched skill levels and Al-Taawoun's fierce desire to remain in contention.
