Three Minutes to Mark Asia: Nesiri Fires Ittihad Jeddah to Early Lead
10 February 2026
Nesiri's Swift Impact
The Moroccan striker Yusuf Nesiri wasted no time making his mark for Al-Ittihad, needing just three minutes to introduce himself in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Early Goal Sets the tone
He put Ittihad ahead in the 3rd minute against Al-Gharafa, at Al-Enma Stadium, in the seventh matchday of the competition.
A ground cross from Mohammed Al-Shenqiti found Nesiri's foot for a one-touch finish into the net, declaring the Jeddah club's early advantage.
Move and Milestone
Nesiri joined Ittihad at the end of the winter transfer window, arriving from Fenerbahce to fill the void left by Karim Benzema's move to Al Hilal.
He had featured for Ittihad in the Roshen Saudi Pro League last Friday, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Al-Nassr in round 21.
Punchline 1: If three minutes were a transfer window, Nesiri just bought the season with that strike.
Punchline 2: Time flies when you’re scoring—some players chase the ball, Nesiri chases punctuality.
