Al-Ittihad vs Al-Hazem

Al-Ittihad came away with a hard-fought 3-2 victory at King Abdullah Sports City, though they'll know they should have made it more comfortable given their dominance. They led 2-1 at the break and controlled the match throughout, with Steven Bergwijn putting in a particularly impressive display that earned him a 9.2 rating. The visitors had their moments and created problems on the counter, but Ittihad's 54 percent possession and six shots on target proved the difference in the end. It was a nervy finish after Al-Hazem pulled one back, and there were a few heart-in-mouth moments for the home support. Still, three points in the Saudi Pro League is what matters, and Bergwijn's influence across the pitch kept Ittihad ticking. The winger was everywhere when it mattered, and on a day when they didn't hit peak performance, that proved crucial to seeing the job through.

Al-Ittihad 3-2 Al-Hazem was the final score at King Abdullah Sports City, in a game where Al-Ittihad did enough across the ninety minutes to deserve the three points. Al-Ittihad also had the better share of the ball, holding 54% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 15 attempts from Al-Ittihad against 8 from Al-Hazem over the course of the game. It was not always comfortable for Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hazem pushed for a way back into the game, but the result stood. Games like this can carry real weight later in the season, so this is a scoreline worth remembering. Below is a closer look at how the match broke down, statistically.