Jens Fissing expressed deep frustration following Al-Ittihad's 3-2 defeat to Al-Hilal in Saturday's eighth-round Saudi Roshn League clash. The Dutch tactician acknowledged his side's tireless effort against one of Asia's most formidable teams, yet emphasized the need to extract crucial lessons from the setback and redirect momentum toward their upcoming fixture.
"We lost the match. We gave everything physically and in terms of intensity we fought until the end," Fissing told reporters at the post-match press conference. The Al-Ittihad boss recognized the caliber of opposition, noting that Al-Hilal have lost just two matches in their last 50 outings—a striking testament to their dominance in the Saudi top division this season. Despite matching the champions' intensity throughout, Fissing's men fell short of the result required to maintain their unbeaten streak.
Tactical Decisions and Squad Rotation
Fissing addressed his selection choices with particular focus on foreign player availability. Saudi regulations limit teams to eight foreign registrations per match, a constraint the coach felt necessary to highlight when discussing certain absences. "George is a wonderful player and I love him, but the regulations only allow me to register 8 foreign players in each match, and all the players who took part in the fixture gave what was required of them," he explained, defending his lineup decisions against potential criticism.
The Dutch manager lavished praise on midfielder Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, singling out the Saudi international as the standout performer across both teams. Fissing's defensive setup also drew justification, with Al-Juraydan's recent injury prompting the deployment of Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti. "A match like the one against Al-Hilal requires me to field the player who is ready," Fissing reasoned, underlining the importance of physical conditioning in such high-stakes encounters.
Title Race Implications
The defeat ended Al-Ittihad's unbeaten run in the Roshn League, leaving them frozen on 17 points in second place—four points adrift of leaders Al-Hilal. Fissing now faces the challenge of rallying his squad to avoid further slippage in the title race. His closing message emphasized resilience and quick recovery: the lessons learned from this Clasico must propel Al-Ittihad back to winning form if they are to mount a credible challenge to their rivals' crown.
