When Champions Hit the High Notes: Al-Ittihad Surges to King Cup Semis in a 4-1 Show
29 November 2025
Conceicao's Candid Reflections
Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição of Al-Ittihad admitted the match against Al-Shabab was tough, even though the defending champions won 4-1 to reach the King Cup semi-finals.
'A difficult match and an important victory, but we haven't achieved anything yet. We have a semi-final, a final ahead, and there are things that need work and correction,' he said at the press conference.
He added, 'Every game has its own preparation; we had enough time to prepare for this one.'
He also noted, 'In the previous game we prepared too, but we were not fortunate; you can plan for everything, but things may not go as hoped.'
He stressed that the team is made of 11 players, and responsibilities cannot be dumped on the defense alone; some goals come from attacking errors, and we now have a break to fix things.
He also mentioned injuries: 'Al-Ittihad had injuries; Hussam Awar couldn't train with us much because of a hamstring strain and is now fit; I thank him for his sacrifice. Doumbia had a groin issue at halftime.'
Alguacil: Al-Ittihad were the better side
Imanol Alguacil, the Spanish coach of Al-Shabab, expressed his deep sorrow for the heavy defeat suffered by the Lions against Al-Ittihad on Saturday evening.
He said after the match, 'Al-Ittihad were the better side; we suffer from many absences, and since I arrived, injuries do not end'.
He explained that the capital club is fighting in two competitions, which is tough, alongside a high injury rate on the squad.
Nevertheless, Al-Shabab is not far behind in the league and remains a contender in the Gulf Club Championship; if they stay injury-free, their level could improve.
He noted the players did try to challenge the leaders, but the opponent was far superior; Al-Ittihad possesses higher-quality players.
He added that some returning players were not fully match-ready, which explained their dip in performance.
Fourth Crossing
Al-Ittihad secured a semi-final berth in the King Cup, defending the title after lifting it last year.
Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadia noted that Al-Ittihad continued its Cup defense, advancing to the semi-finals as in 2009-2010, 2012-2013 and 2017-2018.
In the season following their 2010 title, they reached the semi, beat Al-Hilal in that round, but lost the final to Al-Ahli.
In 2013-2014 they did not reach the semi, as they fell to Al-Ahli; and in 2018-2019 they beat Al-Nasr in the semi, only to lose the final to Al-Tawoun.
Disallowing the rival's goal: Jordanian referee expert Ahmed Abu Khadija told Al-Yawm that the second Shabab goal was correctly disallowed due to an offside caused by Karasco's foot.
Doumbia opens his account: the Malian, 21, opened his account for the club with a powerful shot from outside the area in the 20th minute, his first for the Tigers in ten appearances; he had two assists in the AFC Champions League.
The Malian joined from Royal Antwerp in the summer on a five-year deal that runs until 2030.
Semi-Final Draw and Aftershocks
The official King Cup account announced the semi-final draw will take place at 3:00 PM tomorrow after identifying the four semi-finalists.
Al-Ittihad completed the semi-final lineup alongside Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Kholood.
Next steps: This result keeps the cup chase alive, with the club aiming for more silverware as domestic duties heat up.
