Al-ittihad extended their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to eight points thanks to a 2-0 win over Al-Orubah.
The Laurent Blanc team used playing for one of their title Rivals in this round of competitions to place further daylight between themselves and the chase package.
Their big names were all shown on Thursday, although it was younger Unai Hernandez who broke the impasse in a stunning fashion deep in the first half of the stop time.
Hernandez, in turn, took the ball in midfield before he improved and arrived a bright left ride in the right corner.
Al-ittihad peppered the goal of Al-Orubah when they searched for another, and collected 2.8 of their total 3.62 expected goals in the second half.
However, the pressure finally told in the 88th minute when Abdulrahman already ended Obud at the second attempt at the peak of a radical counterattack.
Al-Wehda previously beat 10-man Damac with 1-0 to increase their survival loop, while Al-Shabab closed the ground in fifth place Al-Ahli by overcoming Al-Kholood 2-0.
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-Al-ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) 10 April 2025
Data Debrief: Benzema fires a blank
AL-STIHAD star Karim Benzema had scored only four goals against promoted teams in the Pro League in nine earlier performances against such an opposition before the game on Thursday, and the former Real Madrid attacker could also leave his mark this time.
That is despite the fact that the Frenchman has a game-leading six attempts, although he only got two on goal.
Not that his professor for the goal turned out to be expensive. Al-Orubah only managed two attempts on goal and failed to create one big chance, because they registered a meager 0.71 XG.