Al Qadisiyah Host Al Ittihad In Dammam
It was a cold night with a bit of a drizzle at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam. Al Qadisiyah played host to Saudi Pro League toppers Al Ittihad, in a crucial tie for both teams and the title race, last night.
There Was All To Play For
With Al Qadisiyah in 3rd place just 7 points behind Al Ittihad, a win at home would help them leap frog Al Hilal into second, whereas for Ittihad after two consecutive draws and a narrowing gap at the top, a win would help them consolidate their position vis a vis the title race. Therefore it was all to play for and the teams did not disappoint.
Al Qadisiyah Show More Intent But Unable To Score
The match was a pacy affair with some top quality football on display. Al Ittihad though held possession ( 55% ) slightly more than Al Qadisiyah, the home team was the more aggressive of the two. They played beautifully with the duo of Aubameyang and Julian Quinones consistently creating opportunities to score. They hit the cross bar on two occasions and missed chances wherein they should have scored. The hosts had 19 shots on goal to a mere 6 from the visitors.
Al Ittihad Appear Subdued As Casteels Shines
Al Ittihad defended well but were rather sedate upfront. Karim Benzema the captain and star for Al Ittihad had a subdued outing. However, Bergwijn and Aouar did have their chances but were denied by some brilliant goalkeeping from Al Qadisiyah’s Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels.
Aubameyang Scores For Al Qadisiyah In Stoppage Time
As the match was meandering towards a goalless draw, Al Qadisiyah eventually struck in the first minute of stoppage time, with Aubameyang netting a fine strike. It was a lethal blow. It was fair to say that the hosts deserved the goal and even a probable victory.
N’Golo Kante Replies In Kind For Al Ittihad
Karim Benzema, who had not done much right through the game, played a lovely ball into the Al Qadisiyah box. N’Golo Kante lurking on the right flank unmarked met the ball and volleyed it between the legs of a rushing Casteels. The ball simply slid into the net at the stroke of the long whistle. Kante had effectively played the last kick of the match. It was the 6th minute of stoppage time.
A Pulsating Stalemate In The End
Al Ittihad snatched a draw while Al Qadisiyah rued the result. The victory was in close grasp but they could not close out the match. Thus, the gap between Al Ittihad and Al Qadisiyah remained the same 7 points and so remained the rankings. Al Ittihad played out their 3rd straight draw in the Saudi League.
A fine game, with both teams sharing the spoils.