Mahamadou Doumbia made a significant impact in his Saudi Pro League debut by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory for Al-Ittihad against Al-Najma. This achievement allowed Al-Ittihad to bounce back after a disappointing draw with Al-Fateh in their previous match.
Match Highlights
The game took place at Al-Ittihad’s home ground, where the team dominated for most of the match. Doumbia found the net just four minutes into the game. Moussa Diaby made an important assist, pulling the ball back for Doumbia to finish with precision into the bottom-left corner.
- Mahamadou Doumbia: Scored his first league goal.
- Moussa Diaby: Provided the assist.
- Karim Benzema: Missed the match amid transfer speculations.
Following Doumbia’s goal, Al-Ittihad continued to pressure Al-Najma but was unable to convert their chances into additional goals. Diaby remained a key threat, forcing the opposing goalkeeper, Braga, into crucial saves. Late in the match, substitute Talal Haji almost secured another goal but was thwarted by Braga’s defensive efforts.
Al-Najma’s Struggles
Despite their attempts at a comeback, Al-Najma struggled to create significant scoring opportunities. They did create a few chances, including a near miss from Majed Dawran in the dying moments of the match. Al-Najma has yet to win this season, with a record of five draws and 14 losses, marking them as one of the few teams to go winless in their first 19 matches.
Statistical Overview
The match statistics highlighted Al-Ittihad’s offensive dominance:
| Team | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Ittihad | 15 | 1.04 |
| Al-Najma | 5 | 0.41 |
Al-Ittihad has also showcased impressive performance trends in past February matches, recording 15 wins and 3 draws in their last 18 games played in this month. This result not only marks their return to winning ways after a streak of draws but also gives them a much-needed boost in their league campaign.
