Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Moussa Diaby hailed Al Ittihad’s resilience and squad depth after their dramatic 2-2 draw with Al Ahli in Saturday’s Jeddah Derby, emphasizing the importance of securing a point in difficult circumstances as the Roshn Saudi League title race intensifies.

The French winger was on the scoresheet in the 74th minute, leveling the match at 1-1 after a composed finish, before watching teammate Karim Benzema rescue a point with a stoppage-time equalizer to preserve Al Ittihad’s lead at the top of the standings.

“Today was a really good derby,” Diaby said after the match. “Both teams played well. We played away, even if it is the same stadium. But yeah, it’s not easy to win that kind of game.”

Reflecting on the back-and-forth nature of the clash, Diaby underscored the value of securing something from the match, especially against a side of Al Ahli’s quality. “So I’m happy for the draw,” he continued. “You have to continue like this, because when you cannot win, you have to take maybe one point. So today was good.”

The winger also credited the team’s collective effort in overcoming the absence of several key players, including goalkeeper Predrag Rajković, full-back Mario Mitaj, and winger Steven Bergwijn.

“We know this, that we missed a lot of players,” Diaby said. “But everything is possible with this team, because we have a lot of potential. Even when some player is not here, with the players on the bench, they have to take the place and play well also.”

He added: “In training, we always push — and this shows for this kind of game.”

With eight matches remaining, the club maintains a five-point lead over second-placed Al Hilal and continues to show the grit required for a championship run.