Saudi Arabia missed the Jeddah Derby, but it made up for it on Friday, watching Al-Ahli defeat Al-Ittihad 1-0 in front of a record-breaking crowd of in excess of 55,000 at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
Al-Ahli are back, the jubilant away supporters chanted, and with performances like these, few might question the visitors’ status as an opponent to be reckoned with now that they are back in the top division after spending one season in the second division. They currently share first place with Ittihad with 19 points, three points behind leaders Al-Taawoun.
Winning at the champions’ stadium is a thing, but when the environment is this vibrant and powerful, the thousands of out-of-town fans were truly treated to a spectacular evening.
Although Al-Ittihad had the most of possession and chances, with Karim Benzema scoring twice, it was far from an easy victory.
When Benzema, who had recently returned from injury, nearly gave Ittihad the lead in the 11th minute, Edouard Mendy just avoided being hit by the French striker’s shot to keep his club in the game.
On the half-hour, the breakthrough occurred. Kessie, a midfielder bought in the summertime from Barcelona and wearing a bandage on his head, volleyed a low effort into the bottom corner past Marcelo Grohe’s helpless dive. Firas Al-Buraikan knocked the possession back to Kessie on the just inside the area.
Benzema ought to have equalized just before the interval. On the edge of the box, N’Golo Kante delicately floated the soccer ball over the defenders, leaving the French attacker with only Mendy to beat in close. The ball painfully rebounded off the bottom of the post for home supporters. He was approaching.
The fact that the reigning Ballon d’Or winner eventually scored with 20 minutes left in a half which had been more fluid than the first was not unexpected. He retrieved a stray ball from the right portion of the area, resisted a challenge, and then slammed the ball home at the far end of the field.
The hosts kept trying to tie the score, and it appeared like they had done so in the 101st minute. Once more, it was Benzema which scored, blasting high from a position similar to the earlier goal, but it was again disallowed, yet again for offside.The commencement of the celebration in the away section coincided with Al-Ahli’s achievement of a victory they won’t soon forget.