On a night that was difficult for Al-Ettifaq fans, Saad Al-Shehri , the club's manager, offered his analysis of his team's heavy 4-0 defeat against Al- Ahli . This came in the match that brought the two teams together at Al-Inma Stadium, as part of the 19th round of the Roshan Professional , a match that saw Al-Ahli clearly dominate.
The general context of the confrontation in the Roshan League
This encounter comes amidst an exceptional Saudi League season, which has captured global attention thanks to its attraction of international stars. Al-Ahli, recently promoted back to the Pro League and one of the clubs backed by the Public Investment Fund, enters the season with high ambitions to compete for the title, having strengthened its squad with top-tier players. Meanwhile, Al-Ettifaq, with its new sporting project, seeks to establish itself as a strong contender for a top-four finish, placing significant pressure on the team to achieve positive results against the league's elite clubs.
Saad Al-Shehri's statements: An admission of mistakes and a vision for the future
During the post-match press conference, Al-Shehri didn't hesitate to congratulate Al-Ahli on their well-deserved victory, acknowledging that individual and collective errors in such high-stakes matches can be very costly. He stated, "Congratulations to Al-Ahli and hard luck to us. You're playing against a rival team that's competing for the top spot. Mistakes in matches like these are very costly against players with such extensive experience, and God willing, the next match will be better.".
Al-Shehri pointed out that his team was a strong contender at the start of the match, saying, “We were in control of the game before the first goal, but after conceding, Al-Ahli became highly focused and well-organized. After the second goal, the match became much more difficult for us.” This statement reflects how a single goal can change the course of major matches and affect the players' mental state.
The impact of defeat and the lessons learned
This loss is a blow to Al-Ettifaq's ambitions, widening the gap between them and the leading teams. This result is expected to put the team and coaching staff under intense media and fan pressure to quickly turn things around. Regionally, this outcome underscores the strength of the top clubs in the Roshan League and their ability to win head-to-head matches, further solidifying the league's reputation as one of the strongest in Asia.
Al-Shehri concluded his remarks on an optimistic note, emphasizing that the team would learn from this difficult experience. He explained, “All our setbacks were against strong teams in the league, and we are working on winning matches against teams of similar caliber. Today’s loss is a lesson for us, and God willing, we will correct our mistakes in the future.” These words lay out a clear roadmap for the team: focusing on securing points against direct rivals to guarantee a high ranking at the end of the season.
