Ittifaq V Al Ahli. Emphatic 0-4 Al Ahli away win!

Prince Faisal bin fasil stadium. Durum

12. March 2012

Ittafaq V Al Ahli

This game will be remembered for two outstanding goals from Emad and the long awaited 17^th and 18^th goals for the energetic and irrepressible Al Ahli, Brazilian striker, Victor Semos. After a three month wait for his 17^th goal, Victor scores two second half goals in three minutes. These valuable three points now leaves only one point between El Shahbab and Al Ahli at the top of the Saudi Professional League.

Al Ahli began the game as strongly as they finished the game. From minute one, Ittifaq could not cope with the Al Ahli’s superior movement and strong midfield surges.

At times the game was so one sided, it almost felt like a training session, with Al Ahli keeping the ball without a single Ittifaq player making a challenge. Al Ahli continued to press a chaotic and confused Ittfaq defence and it was only a matter of time before Al Ahli capitalised on their superior possession.

The moment arrived in the 33rd minute when Al More lofted a dangerous ball into the Ittafaq area. Victor Semos then acrobatically beat two Ittafaq defenders and headed the ball square to the ever willing Emad, who’s sublime overhead kick found the back of the net. 0-1 Al Ahli.

The first half came to a close with Al Ahli in the ascendancy and Ittafaq deflated.

The second half was a mirror image of the first with Al Ahli continually  attacking and Ittafaq  continually backing off . In the 47^th minute Al Ahli’s surging runs paid dividends when Victor Semos was awarded a penalty after being pulled down by two Ittafaq defenders.

Victor dutifully dispatched the spot kick and swung away in celebration as his illusive 17^th goal finally arrived. Three minutes later Victor scored again for his 18^th goal , after a clever flick from A-missa.

Now Al Ahli were rampant and wave after wave of Al Ahli attacks continually threatened the Ittifaq goal. In the 73^rd minute, one of these relentless Al Ahli raids into Ittafaq territory, produced a well placed goal by Emad, after good work by Al More and Semos.

Ittafaq had their moments within their Argentinean striker Tagliabue catching the Al Ahli defence sleeping on couple of occasions. Other than these rare forrays into the AL Ahli area, Ittafaq offered little in the way of  constructive football and appeared to be bereft of ideas throughout the entire 90 minutes.

This emphatic away win for Al Ahli can only boost their confidence to go on and win the Saudi professional League for the first time since 1984.

Ya la ! Al Ahli  Ya la!