King’s Cup Quarterfinal Shockwaves: Ittihad Ready to Reel in Shabab as Conceição Earns First Domestic Win
29 October 2025
Quarterfinal Clash: Ittihad vs Shabab
The King’s Cup quarterfinal draw for the 2025-2026 season was unveiled on Wednesday, pairing Al Ittihad against Al Shabab in a blockbuster clash. The rest of the bracket promises a mix of giants and mid-table challengers as the knockout quest for the cup heats up, with Al Hilal vs Al Fateh, Al Ahli vs Al Qadisiyah, and Al Taawoun vs Al Khaleej also in the mix.
Al Ittihad booked their place by ousting Al Nassr 2-1 away in the Round of 16, the goals coming from Karim Benzema in the 15th minute and Houssam Ouarr just before halftime. Angelo Gabriel scored for Al Nassr in the 30th minute, but it wasn’t enough to flip the result.
Al Shabab advanced with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Al Zulfi, a testament to their grit as they chased a quarterfinal berth that has become a staple in their season’s ambitions.
Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadhiah noted that history leans toward Al Ittihad in this quarterfinal duel, a fixture with a long, storied past since the competition began in 1957. The clubs have met three times in this knockout phase: 1981 (Ittihad won 1-0), 1986 (a 1-1 draw followed by a 4-2 victory for the Tigers on penalties), and the 2018 edition where Al Ittihad won 3-1 in the quarterfinals.
In the latest edition, the two sides met in the quarterfinals once more in 2018, with Ittihad prevailing 3-1. The upcoming clash is being treated as a marquee tie that could shape the Cup’s later stages.
Beyond the Clash: Conceição’s Start and Cup Narrative
Beyond the Ittihad–Shabab pairing, the other quarterfinals are shaping up as tactical tests: Al Hilal vs Al Fateh, Al Ahli vs Al Qadisiyah, and Al Taawoun vs Al Khaleej. The lower half of the bracket includes Al-Kholood and Al Khaleej, who earned their spots after tense wins in prior rounds.
The preview was accompanied by a note on the broader campaign under Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição. His first domestic win with Al Ittihad arrived in the King’s Cup, a 2-1 triumph over Al Nassr on Tuesday. The win comes after a small league wobble and follows a 1-1 draw with Al Fayha away and a 0-2 setback to Al Hilal at home in earlier rounds.
Conceição has also tasted success in Asia’s elite competition, recording a 4-1 victory over Iraq’s Al-Shorta in the AFC Champions League context, signaling the squad’s potential to adapt across competitions.
Looking ahead, Ittihad will travel to face Al Khaleej in the league’s seventh round as the schedule tests the squad’s depth and stamina.
The Clasico season has featured a rare domestic win over Al Nassr for Conceição’s side—their first such win of the campaign—while the coach’s in-season bounce has been tempered by earlier league results, including a Super Cup setback in Hong Kong and a recent league defeat to Al Hilal.
Next up, the derby against their arch-rivals is slated for early November at the Al-Ittihad Stadium, a fixture that always promises drama and nerves in equal measure. The last decade has seen Ittihad dominate the fixture at Al Nassr’s home ground, a trend underscoring the clash’s significance for Saudi football fans.
In 11 meetings at the home of Al Nassr since December 2015, the hosts have won only twice, while Al Ittihad has claimed six wins and three draws, underscoring the visitors’ edge in big games.
