Al-Ittihad beat Al-Faisaly 3-1 in the Saudi Pro League's seventh round at Al-Majdham Sports City on Thursday evening.
Steven Bergwijn opened the scoring for the visitors in the twenty-eighth minute, and that was enough to settle the first half. Youssef En-Nesyri added a second just before the break, then completed his brace after fifty-nine minutes. Theo Bongonda made it three in the eighty-seventh minute, and by then the result was beyond doubt.
Al-Faisaly had their chances but couldn't convert. They created two big opportunities but the shots accuracy of twenty per cent showed how many went missing. Bergwijn's opener came from a moment of quality, and En-Nesyri's double proved clinical when it mattered.
The statistics tell a familiar story for Al-Ittihad. They held fifty-four per cent possession and registered one hundred and twenty-eight attacks compared with ninety-two. Their shots accuracy of thirty-three per cent against twenty meant they took their chances properly. Expected goals of one point two seven versus one point zero nine says it all really.
Al-Faisaly remain rooted to seventeenth place with just three points from six games. They've drawn three and lost three, and this defeat extends a run that includes two goalless draws against Ettifaq and Al-Hazem. Al-Ittihad meanwhile sit fourth with fourteen points, four wins and two draws, and their away form continues to impress.
