Only a handful of matches in the mena (Middle East and North Africa) Region Get the Juices Flowing Quite Like the Saudi Classico, Featuring Al-Ittihad, The Country's Oldest Surviving Football Club, and The most decorated team in the kingdom. I was fortunate enough to witness this rivalry on the saudi foundation day celebrated every year on February 22. The tigers, al-ittihad, represent the Port City of Jeddah, whose BLUE WAVES, AL-HHALUE Based more than 1,000 km away in Riyadh, the capital of the saudi kingdom.
“We
These sentiments were echoed by each and every ittihad fan that I came across.
“Hilal is like real madrid.
The rivalry between ittihad and hilal might not be as historic as the old firm derby better
One would have to go back to 1962 for the first-ever meeting between these two sides. Their rivalry is bill on history, success, passion, and Civic Pride Between two competing sites.
They are first and second for the number of Saudi Titles Won; Al Hilal's Tally of 18 is double that of ittihad.
Even in asia, hilal and ittihad are the only saudi clubs to lift the covered Afc champions league title. While The Blue Waves Again Have Double The Tropies of Their Jeddah Counterparts, Al Ittihad Can Claim to have some something al hilal has Never Managed-Back-to-Back Afc SAFC SAFC SASIANS League Triumpions.
Only rarely is the saudi classico an irrelevance, and these days the clash features some of the most decorated players at any time in its history. The game was even more of a nailbiter this time. Champions Hilal Trailed Leaders Ittihad by just four points before the game.
More than three hours before the first kick of the match, home fans began to enter the 63,079-seater, chanting the song of their team. And, as dusk settled in, the traveling fans also joined them.
The kick-off was delayed due to a conflict of timings with the saudi cup, the world's most experiencesive hoose race.
Inside the stadium, ittihad and hilal fans sat next to each other to offer maghrib and ish priyers.
Al-Ittihad fans roared in unison as ballon d'or winner karim benzema, who we wes the captain's armband, Took his side out in the middle. In a tribute to Kendrick Lamar's Diss Track on Drake, Home Fans Displayed A Mesmerizing “Not like us” tifo as a jibe towards the traveling team and their fans.
The Away Ultras retaliated with a tribute of their own. Their tifo featured a portrait of their star striker alexander mitrovi, Missing the game due to an injury.
After pre-match routines and handshakes, ittihad players associated in front of their fans behind predrag rajkovic's goal.
As far as the action on the pitch, it was a game of two halves. Hilal dictated the early proceedings, rightfully taking the lead in the 23rd minute marcos leonardo.
But, it was all all-ittihad after that point. Hassan Kadesh Equalized Six Minutes Later, Heading Home from a Routine Corner. Steven bergwijn completes the turning on the stroke of half-time.
In the second half, hilal was no match for the hosts. In-form bergwijn was on target against, scoring just six minutes after the restart. Club captain benzema then completes the rout, scoring four minutes before the end of regulation time.
While al-ittihad might've taken the bragging rights, it surrely wasn's end as a long season stretches ahead.
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