On the night when former Real Madrid mates Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo found the net, it was Steven Bergwijn who was the star as he scored the match-winner to help Al-Ittihad beat Al-Nassr 2-1 at the King Abdullah Sports City on Friday.
With this win, Ittihad strengthened its grip on the top spot with 36 points from 13 games as Nassr sits in fourth after as many fixtures, 11 points adrift the leader.
The first half started slow with the sides passing the ball around, trying to create spaces to penetrate the opposition boxes.
After the first 20 minutes, the teams began to ask questions of the goalkeepers. In the 23rd minute, Benzema strayed offside before going on and assisting Dutchman Steven Bergwijn, who found the net. This was the host’s best chance in the first half.
For the visitor, the best chance came for Sadio Mane who was played through on goal with a ball from deep in the midfield. The former Liverpool winger did well to get past Ittihad ‘keeper Predrag Rajkovic, but the Senegalese forward made the angle too acute for himself and fluffed the chance for his side.
Ten minutes after the break, the deadlock was broken by Al-Ittihad. Bezema notched up his 10th goal of the season after he slotted Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti’s ball into the back of the net.
Just minutes later in the 57th, Al-Nassr equalised courtesy Ronaldo. It was Angelo Gabriel who tried to find the net with a deft shot, but it was weak. The effort was cleared away but the Brazilian persevered. He retrieved the ball and played it across for his skipper who thumped it into the net first time.
In the next half an hour or so, tempers flared and fouls were committed and it seemed both sides would have to be content with a point each.
It was Bergwijn who decided to step up and score the match-winner just after regulation time elapsed to make sure Ittihad continued staying on top of the table.
