Al Ettifaq vs. Al Ahli _ Highlights _ Roshn Saudi League _ 20th January 2025
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00:00Hello everyone, today's featured match from the Roshan Saudi Pro League comes live from
00:09Dhamam as Al Atifak looked to build on last week's 3-0 win away to Dhamak, while Al Ali
00:14aimed to bounce back after losing in added time away to Al Kholuj. The win over Dhamak was a
00:19welcome one for Steven Gerrard and his team, their second in the last three games after a
00:24difficult autumn in which they won the opening three matches of the season and none of the
00:29subsequent nine before the recent upturn with Moussa Dembele finding form.
00:36And it is the home side who get us underway, Al Atifak all in white, the team in green, Al Ali the
00:43visiting side who've been in really good form until their defeat the other day but already
00:47Ivan Toni into the penalty area challenge by Jack Hendry and looking hopefully at the Bulgarian
00:53referee who was very well placed to see the challenge on him and almost a perfect start
00:58there for Al Ali and Al Atifak were close to being caught cold.
01:03There's Dembele trying to keep the defense busy. First 4-8 deep inside the Al Ali half and just tipped on to the top of the crossbar.
01:16Now Abdullah Radif causing problems for Edouard Mendy. Yeah Radif does ever so well.
01:21He cuts inside, it's a good little bit of nutmeg there and what, this is a great strike with the outside of the boot.
01:27He tries to catch Mendy out and that is flying into the top corner. It's a brilliant save from Mendy and he tips it onto the crossbar.
01:33Radif does ever so well but what a save that is from Mendy.
01:38It's Gabri Vega
01:43A save by Rodak and suddenly all hands on deck for Al Atifak as Gabri Vega sends it back into the box.
01:52Here's a chance and Balabeid is denied by Rodak.
01:56This is a great ball from Firmino. It's an unbelievable pass to Vega. Vega will be disappointed because I don't think it's going in.
02:02But it's a great save from Rodak because it takes a slight deflection there as well side.
02:05This is the Balabeid one where he's got to do better for me, has to do better.
02:09And I would say weaker right foot but I've seen him score a winning goal for them against El Shabaab so I know he's got a good right foot.
02:19In it comes Gabri Vega!
02:22And Al Ali have the lead that they have been threatening to take.
02:26And half an hour in Gabri Vega breaks the deadlock.
02:31It was only a matter of time. You can see why Al Atifak are in the bottom half and Steven Gerrard needs help.
02:36I think he needs his hierarchy to bring in some quality players for him.
02:39Obviously they're not happy with it but Mahrez it's a great little ball to Vega and the finish from Vega is outstanding.
02:45It had to be something good to beat Rodak but it's a really good measured finish into that bottom corner.
02:57Vega brings it away.
03:01Excellent ball, Madrashi hurtling forward. Just showed a little too much of that to Al Olajan.
03:09I think that was initially the best thing we've seen from Rodak in this first half but he's given it away and he nearly paid for it there as Riyad Mahrez almost fired Al Ali 2-0 up.
03:22Medrano, it's an excellent save by Edouard Mendy but it could so easily have been 1-1 right on the stroke of half-time.
03:37Here's a great chance for 2-0. Roberto Firmino, first time touch into the back of the net and from one end of the field to the other in the blink of an eye just as Al Etifak were threatening to get back in the game.
04:02They're 2-0 down and it's a long, long road back in this one.
04:07There's no offside, there's absolutely no chances offside. It's a great ball. That is a fantastic ball and once it's in there, it is a fantastic finish because it has come from a long way.
04:19It has come from a very long way and when he has to watch it onto his feet, it's an outstanding finish from a top footballer.
04:25And he was about three miles onside. Yeah, three miles. I was thinking why are we slowing it down but he's definitely onside and a great ball but what a finish.
04:33Moussa Dembele in the middle, Damari Gray up inside the box as well. Wijnaldum is well forward too.
04:45Here's Wijnaldum trying to find a way through. Good save by Mendy. Third time today, Al Etifak have been denied by the Senegalese goalkeeper of Al Ali.
04:55That is brilliant goalkeeper. This is the best chance for Al Etifak. It's a golden opportunity. This would have brought them back into it.
05:02Great little disguise from Gini Wijnaldum but Mendy's made three fantastic saves.
05:06Here comes Gray. Al Bracan getting back goalside. Here's a chance. Off the top of the bar from Alvaro Medran.
05:21Yeah, it's good play from Damari Gray again. He's grown in in the second half and he's been much better. He cuts it back to Medran who's probably been their best attacking player.
05:29I don't think Mendy gets a touch on him but the corner's given and you think hard and low there but Mendy will take it because he'll say it's his fourth big save of the evening.
05:38Here's Medran. Good play from Alvaro Medran into Wijnaldum and they have got a goal and a faint glimmer of hope in added time at the end of the game.
05:51Jorginho Wijnaldum halves the deficit. 2-1 down, four minutes to go.
05:57Medran done ever so well there. So it's all about Medran. I think he's been brilliant for them in his second half.
06:03He's the one who's basically said let me grab this game by the scruff of the net. Great little run.
06:08And that's what I said about Gini Wijnaldum. He's the one player from midfield that wants to run him behind once it comes into Wijnaldum.
06:14It had to be something good to beat Mendy before he's in and it's a good finish from Wijnaldum.
06:18Wijnaldum.
06:26Now I've been telling you he's done well there.
06:28Yeah he has. He's done really well. Showed his strength and his muscles and he's got a lot of that to be fair.
06:33And you can see the manager's not happy because I don't know where all this added on time's come from.
06:38Well we played seven, nearly seven minutes of five minutes a minimum of.
06:45Matthias Jaisler I think maybe just offering his watch to the referee.
06:48Yeah.
06:49Should he need it?
06:49Madrassi with the throw. That'll do it. Big win for Al-Ali on the road and for Matthias Jaisler.
06:59His team scoring a goal in each half. Gabri Vega after half an hour. Roberto Firmino after an hour.
07:06It is a seventh straight home defeat for Steven Gerrard and his team.
07:10Gini Wijnaldum giving them some late hope with a goal in the 91st minute of the game.
07:16They had at least three other good chances in the game but they were denied by the excellence of Edouard Mendy in goal for Al-Ali who kept them at bay.
07:29And Al-Ali win on the road for the fourth time this season.
07:33Back to winning ways for them but a familiar scene for Al-Etifak at home. A seventh home defeat in a row for them.
07:42Al-Etifak one, Al-Ali two.
08:03Al-Ali two.
08:18Al-Ali two.
08:20Al-Ali two.
08:23Al-Ali two.