Emirati Curse Strikes Al-Ittihad: An Asian Night That Unmoored the Giant
1 octobre 2025
Al-Ittihad of Jeddah faced a shocking night at home as Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai edged them 0-1 in the second round of the AFC Elite Champions League group stage, played at Enmaa Stadium.
With two defeats from two matches, the Saudi giants sit on zero points and near the bottom of Group West, a position no one expected after last season's domestic triumphs.
Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai climbed to four points, while Al-Hilal topped the group with a perfect 6 points, keeping the Saudi classic in a distant chase.
Captain Carlos Simic said after the game, "It's hard to explain what happened, and I apologize to the fans for the defeat." He added, "We controlled the ball at times but failed to score from set pieces."
Analysts noted that the loss extended Al-Ittihad's worst AFC run to four straight defeats, the first two games of the current edition matching a poor start from 2010 and 2016.
The loss also dampened hopes of a fresh start after Laurent Blanc’s departure, with fans calling for changes and sharper performances in upcoming fixtures.
Next fixtures include October 17 at home to Al-Fayha, October 24 against Al-Hilal in Jeddah, and October 20 away to Al-Shorta in Iraq as part of the Elite group stage.
Punchline 1: If finishing were a sniper’s job, tonight Al-Ittihad forgot the scope—the ball kept missing the target and the headlines kept scoring it anyway.
Punchline 2: In football as in life, when you aim for the moon, remember the net is closer than the stars—and apparently with this team, the goalposts have career aspirations too.
