Al-Ittihad slipped further away from the Saudi Pro League podium after a 1-0 home defeat against Al-Ettifaq, decided by a fine second-half finish from Khalid Al Ghannam. The defending champions also lost
goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic to a late red card, ending a six-game unbeaten league run and halting recent momentum.
The result prevented Al-Ittihad from closing the gap on the top three and instead pulled Al-Ettifaq to within two points of them in the standings. It also extended a worrying pattern, as Al-Ittihad have not won any of their last six league matches after conceding first, dating back to victory over Al Raed on May 15, 2025.
Despite the defeat, Al-Ittihad created the better chances across the match. They produced 15 attempts with an expected goals figure of 1.04, compared with Al-Ettifaq’s six shots and 0.52 xG. Saad Al-Shehri’s team, who had seen a seven-game unbeaten streak ended by Al-Khaleej in their previous outing, needed efficiency and defensive focus to respond.
| Team | Shots | xG |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Ittihad | 15 | 1.04 |
| Al-Ettifaq | 6 | 0.52 |
Key attacking contributions for Al-Ettifaq came from Khalid Al Ghannam and Moussa Dembele. Al Ghannam recorded team-high numbers for shots, with four, and five touches inside the penalty area, capped by the decisive goal. Dembele led all Al-Ettifaq players for total duels won, successful dribbles and aerial duels, posting 10, four and four respectively.
West Coast, BEST Coast pic.twitter.com/RvAFXX8AyvGolden State Warriors (@warriors) January 16, 2026
Al-Ittihad started strongly and almost produced a highlight opener. Mahamadou Doumbia spun past defenders on the edge of the area and forced Marek Rodak into a low save. Al Ghannam then tested Predrag Rajkovic twice in quick succession, first with a stabbed effort and then another shot blocked by the goalkeeper’s feet.
Al-Ettifaq struck nine minutes after half-time, launching a quick counter-attack that ended with Al Ghannam bending a curling strike into the top corner. Karim Benzema led Al-Ittihad’s push for an equaliser, heading narrowly wide and later firing over the bar, but the hosts’ task grew harder when Rajkovic handled outside the box while chasing Mohau Nkota’s run and received a red card after a lengthy VAR review.
The narrow defeat leaves Al-Ittihad needing a response to maintain pressure near the Saudi Pro League summit, with recent struggles after conceding first now a clear concern. For Al-Ettifaq, the disciplined win, built on clinical finishing and strong individual displays, pulls the team closer to their rivals in a tightening table.
