We Lost the Union Spirit: Conceicao Reacts to a Wild 4-4 Comeback and a Controversial Red Card

In a Saudi Pro League spectacle, Al-Ittihad staged a historic rally from a four-goal deficit to salvage a 4-4 draw against Al-Khaleej, leaving both camps with mixed emotions and a lot to digest. The visitors surged ahead in a dominant first half, while the hosts battled back in a dramatic second period that stretched the limits of belief and endurance.

Conceicao: We Lost the Team Spirit; the Red Card Wasn’t Right

The Portuguese manager Conceicao lamented that his squad wandered away from the game plan for long stretches, insisting that the crowd’s energy revived the team only after they found themselves four goals behind. He spoke frankly about the way the match spiraled, and he voiced strong objections to the red card that sidelined Fabinho, suggesting an evolution in refereeing could help encourage more fans to fill the stadiums in the future.

“We lost the spirit of the team for most of the game,” he said. “The supporters brought us back when we were down, but the situation after the red card made things harder. We must learn from this and move on.”

Conceicao also reflected on mental strength, noting that when he played, he fought through injuries and kept pushing. If the same resolve doesn’t return, he warned, the team will struggle again, especially at a high-intensity pace that the league now demands.

Donis: No Excuses… I Take Responsibility

On the other bench, Greek coach Giorgos Donis admitted the setback was a bitter pill, especially after resisting the 0-4 hole and losing momentum in the late stages. He accepted responsibility for the tactical lapse in the final minutes, stressing that the team failed to manage the ball and control the tempo against a quality opponent.

Donis also cited the absence of Demetriou as a factor and praised the opposition’s midfield quality, mentioning that the Baying of talent in the center—Fabinho and Awaar—made life difficult. He emphasized that there are no excuses and that the balance of risk and control must be better handled in future matches.

Eight Goals, a Red Card, and a Finish That Defied the Odds

The scoring sheet told a tale of two halves: Gulf struck four before the break, with Joshua King and Kostas Fortounis providing the forwards’ thrust and Nickfort Fortounis delivering two goals and two assists. For Al-Ittihad, Moussa Diaby struck twice, Mario Metai found the net, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi added a late representative effort.

Fortounis sparked Gulf’s momentum with two assists and a goal, while King’s second tally completed the four-goal burst. The visitors’ lead appeared unassailable until the hosts hit back in rapid succession, with Diaby’s double and late strikes from Metai and Al-Ghamdi setting up a breathless finale.

The game’s turning point came when Fabinho received a second yellow—his second red card since joining the club—after a robust challenge, leaving Ittihad with one less man and a long road back. The result left Gulf with a mixed feeling: a deserved big lead squandered, yet a loud reminder of the league’s volatility and the danger of backing off too soon.

Eight goals were shared across the two sides, and the late drama capped a match that will be remembered as much for its mood swings as for its skill. Gulf finished the night with 11 points, equaling Al-Ittihad’s tally, while the latter’s late rally pushed them to 11 points as well, albeit in a different position on goal difference.

Historically, Gulf had not beaten Al-Ittihad in the league across 13 meetings, with Ittihad boasting eight wins and five draws. The second leg of last season had finished 1-1 on the same turf, adding another layer to the déjà vu of this encounter.

Fabinho’s red card marked the Brazilian’s second dismissal since arriving in 2023, following an earlier sending-off against Al-Nasr in late 2023. Looking ahead, Al-Ittihad prepared for a derby against Al-Ahli while Gulf traveled to face Al-Hazm, both teams chasing a win to climb higher in the standings.

Humor break: Remember, in football as in life, turning around a four-goal deficit is easy—just keep telling yourself there are four other teams on the pitch who can miss, and eventually you get lucky. Punchline: If comebacks were a coffee, this match would have been a double espresso with extra foam—bitter, bold, and making the rivals spill theirs.

Punchline 2: My strategy for a comeback is simple: wait for the other team to celebrate so I can sneak in a late goal... and then pretend I planned it all along, like a magician who forgot the trick but remembered the applause.