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- 1-0 loss in the capital leaves the reigning champions in danger of losing touch with title race
Al-Shabab piled the pressure on Al-Ittihad coach Nuno Santo on Friday with a 1-0 win over the defending champions. The result means that the Jeddah giants have failed to win any of their past five games in the Roshn Saudi League and they are in danger of falling out of contention for the title.
Going into the clash in Riyadh, Al-Ittihad were 11 points behind leaders Al-Hilal who had earlier defeated Al-Fateh 2-0, and that is how the margin has stayed after the latest loss.
With the recent downturn in form and results, there were reports that the Portuguese boss had two games in which to save his job. It remains to be seen what happens but there is little doubt that Ittihad’s title defense is hanging by a thread after this defeat.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss, who led the team to the title last season in such style, is looking increasingly forlorn on the sidelines as his team stays in sixth in the standings. “We controlled the match but a lapse in concentration cost us,” Santo said. “We made chances but were not able to take them.”
Carlos Junior opened the scoring after 14 minutes for Al-Shabab who are trying to recover from a poor start to the season under new coach Igor Biscan.
Fawaz Al-Saqour curled over a cross from the right and there was the Brazilian to get between two yellow-shirted defenders and send a header into the bottom corner past the dive of Marcelo Grohe.
Al-Ittihad, who don’t have the best of records at beating their rivals from the capital, pushed forward with Kim Seung-yueng saving from Karim Benzema. Al-Shabab’s South Korean goalkeeper was beaten in the second half but Romarinho’s strike was ruled out for offside.
The home team hung on for a famous win and moved into ninth with 15 points, and while Al-Ittihad have six more, a season that looked to be full of promise is in need of a win — and soon — not just to save the slim hopes of a challenge for the title but to keep Nuno Santo in a job.
“We now have to prepare for the next match and we will continue to work hard,” the coach said. Al-Ittihad and their boss can’t afford too many more slip-ups, especially with Al-Hilal in such great form.