Red Card Sparks 4-4 Thriller as Al-Ittihad Fights Back Against Al-Khaleej
1 November 2025
Match Snapshot
Al-Ittihad fought back to claim a dramatic 4-4 draw with Al-Khaleej on Saturday, in Week 7 of the Saudi Pro League, turning a heavy deficit into a thrilling result.
The western club leveled the score despite going a man down after Fabinho was sent off in the 32nd minute.
Mohammed Kamal Risha, the competition's analyst for the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh, criticized the red card as overly harsh for the challenge against Al-Khaleej's Majed Kenba.
Risha added that Fabinho deserved only a yellow for reckless play, and that the referee's decision was not well judged.
Benzema Absence and November Plans
Separately, Karim Benzema missed a sixth appearance of the season for Al-Ittihad, with the team having won four and lost one in the five prior matches.
The article noted Benzema's absence across several fixtures, while the team collected four wins and one loss in those five games.
Across all competitions this season, Benzema has appeared seven times and scored four goals.
November promises a busy slate for Al-Ittihad, spanning the Saudi League, the King’s Cup, and the Asian Elite competition. The month opens with a home clash against Al-Khaleej, followed by a visit from Sharjah in the Elite competition on Nov. 4 at the Enmaa Stadium.
Sharjah arrives after a 0-5 defeat to Tractor and sits sixth in the Western group with four points from a 4-3 win over Al-Gharafa and a 1-1 draw with Al-Sadd.
The Jeddah giants then host Al-Ahli on Nov. 8, ahead of the international break. They return on Nov. 21 to host Al-Riyadh at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, then travel to Doha on Nov. 24 to face Al-Duhail in the Elite phase.
The month ends with a King’s Cup clash against Al-Shabab on Nov. 28. The memory of last season's King Cup run—beating Al-Shabab 3-2 in the semi-finals—remains a touchstone for the squad.
In the league, the title race remains tight between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, with the former relying on team cohesion under Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, while the latter benefits from Ronaldo and Felix’s exploits.
For Al-Ittihad, the season has begun slowly, leading to the dismissal of French coach Laurent Blanc and the appointment of Sergio Conceicao, with results still seeking consistency.
November’s schedule will test the squad’s resilience, depth, and focus as they chase silverware on multiple fronts.
Punchline 1: If football had a checkout line, this match would be the aisle labeled “Buy 4 goals, get 1 red card free.”
Punchline 2: Benzema missing? At this rate, the bench is starting to look like a transfer window—full of surprises and questionable stock prices.
