JEDDAH: Karim Benzema scored his first hat-trick for Al-Ittihad on Friday as the reigning Roshn Saudi League champions defeated Abha 4-2 and made a much-needed return to winning ways.
It had been a tough week for the Jeddah giants, with the dismissal of head coach Nuno Santo on Tuesday evening less than six months after he led the team to their first Saudi league title since 2009.
The Portuguese tactician was axed following a 2-0 defeat in the Asian Champions League by Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. This followed a run of five games in the domestic league without a win, which left the Jeddah giants languishing in sixth place, 11 points behind leaders Al-Hilal.
Friday night’s performance, under interim coach Hassan Khalifa, was a much-improved effort from the Tigers, who attacked from the first whistle to the last. It was therefore little surprise when they broke the deadlock, seven minutes before the break.
Benzema, who it is rumored had fallen out with Santo, tumbled over in the area and, after a lengthy check with the video assistant referee, a penalty was awarded. The French striker stepped up to fire home from the spot.
Abha, who arrived in Jeddah on the back of three successive victories in the league and King’s Cup, had looked threatening throughout most of the game, however, and managed to get back on level terms just six minutes after the restart, courtesy of Karl Toko Ekambi.
The Cameroonian striker, who had scored in each of the his two games, swept the ball home from close range after Marcelo Grohe palmed away a shot from Abha skipper Saad Bguir.
Within three minutes, however, Al-Ittihad were ahead again. A spinning backheel pass from Benzema inside the area fed Igor Coronado and the Brazilian fired home from close range.
Abha had chances to get back on level terms but were left to rue their wastefulness when, midway through the second half, Benzema grabbed his second goal. Coronado slipped the ball through the Abha defense and the Frenchman made no mistake as he shot home from the edge of the area.
Just two minutes later, the former Real Madrid star completed his hat-trick, and effectively secured the win, when he side-footed the ball into the net from near the penalty spot after Coronado once again delivered the ball. It was his ninth goal in eight games for the Saudi champions.
Five minutes from the end, Fahad Jumayah headed home Abha’s second but it was nothing more than a consolation. For Al-Ittihad, however, the game was a very welcome return to winning ways ahead of the international break.
