It has been another big week in Saudi Arabian football as the league breaks for World Cup qualifiers. Here are five things we learned about the third round of matches in the 2021-22 Saudi Professional League.
1. Coronado and Hegazi make the difference
Fabio Carille would be forgiven if he shook the head on Friday as Ahmed Hegazi and Igor Coronado scored the goals that gave Al-Ittihad a 2-1 win over Al-Faisaly. Hegazi, a defender, missed the Arab Cup final last week that Ittihad lost on penalties and, given the fact that it was a 4-4 draw, had the Egyptian played then the result could have been different.
The defeat cost Carille his job and it is one of those football cruelties that the big summer signing Igor Coronado made his SPL debut once the coach had been fired. The Brazilian showed signs of the form that made him the standout player in the United Arab Emirates last season. His winning goal was well taken, a touch and then a flick over the goalkeeper. It was a goal that suggested there is more to come but it was too late for Carille.
2. Al-Nassr go from crisis to top
A few days ago there were whispers against Al-Nassr boss Mano Menezes. A win and a defeat was a mixed start but there were concerns about the style and the predictability of the football. The rumours were serious enough for the club president Musalli Al-Muammar to publicly deny there were plans to fire the former boss of the Brazil national team —though it should be noted that he said this after Al-Nassr defeated Al-Taawoun 3-1 despite falling behind after 88 minutes. Whatever the issues at the club, there was plenty of fighting spirit in the team.
The turnaround was helped by two goals from Abderrazzak Hamdallah and that will be welcome to fans as it looked like the Moroccan marksman was on his way out of the club. His second, coming after 103 minutes and 23 seconds, was the latest goal ever scored in the Saudi Pro League. By recapturing the form of the season before last and with new Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar looking dangerous too, Al-Nassr’s week ended in complete contrast to how it started. For a while, the club was on top of the league.
3. Two up top not yet working for Al-Hilal
In Saudi Arabia, the default formation is 4-2-3-1 but Leonardo Jardim has come in and, for the first three games of the season, played a 4-4-2. A little variety is always welcome, though the duo of Moussa Marega and Bafetimbi Gomis, formidable as it is on paper, has yet to click on the pitch. They have scored just once between them so far this season. In fact, the champions have not scored inside the first 80 minutes so far this season.
The 0-0 draw against Al-Batin was one-way traffic for the most part with the hosts having all the possession but while Marega had a couple of headers, not enough chances of quality were created. Al-Hilal legend Sami Al-Jaber said that the coach has to use the international break to iron out a few issues but seven points from three games is still a good start and there is no need to panic.
4.Al-Shabab are the new crisis club
It was Al-Ittihad first, then it was Al-Nassr, but there is no doubt that it is Al-Shabab who are in trouble now. One point from the first three games is not what was expected from a team that finished second last season and was hoping to go one better this time.
In the first game it could be said that the team was caught cold, in the second it was careless in throwing away a 3-0 lead in the final minutes, but there wasn’t much that could be said about the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Al-Fateh.
The sending-off of Ever Banega midway through the first half changed the game but that will not help coach Pericles Chamusca. The Brazilian boss may be regretting leaving Al-Faisaly in June and is experienced enough to know that the international break often sees underperforming and impatient clubs make changes to the coaching staff. If he survives the next two weeks then victory against Al-Hazem when the league restarts is crucial.
5. Al-Taawoun have a late problem
Fourth-placed last season, Al-Taawoun should have nine points from nine this time around instead of just one. How can it be that a team which opens the scoring in the 88th minute can end up losing 3-1? A look at the opening two games may provide some insight. In the opening game, Al-Taawoun were leading Al-Hazm 3-1 with 20 minutes to go and drew 3-3. Last week, they were a goal up against Al-Hilal with nine minutes remaining and lost 2-1.
Last week the club fired coach Nestor El-Maestro but the team took it all to a new level on Thursday. A lack of fitness and the ensuing problems with concentration look to be at the heart of this throwing away of points.
