Al-Ittihad 4-2 Al-Fateh: Bergwijn bags brace in chaotic match
Al-Ittihad have started their title defence with back-to-back wins after beating Al-Fateh thanks to a brace from Steven Bergwijn.
Al-Ittihad continued their perfect start to their Saudi Pro League title defence after edging past Al-Fateh with a 4-2 win at home.
In a match that saw both sides receive a red card, Steven Bergwijn found the back of the net twice for the hosts after Houssem Aouar opened the scoring, while Matias Vargas and Sofiane Bendebka scored for Al-Fateh before Muhannad Al Shanqiti sealed the win for Al-Ittihad.
It was a fast start, with both teams recording three shots each in the opening 15 minutes, but it was Aouar who made the breakthrough after 22 minutes. He drove into the box before dribbling past Jorge Fernandes and firing past Fernando Pacheco into the far corner.
Vargas managed to equalise for the visitors after 33 minutes, but Bergwijn made a lasting impact within the next six minutes. He scored his first after reacting quickest to Moussa Diaby's deflected cross, poking past Pacheco, before he doubled their lead from close range with a rebound goal.
Matters got worse for Al-Fateh just before the break after Mourad Batna received a second yellow card, five minutes after he got his first for dissent, but the numbers were evened up after Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Predraj Rajkovic was sent off for a last-man challenge in the 58th minute.
The visitors pulled a goal back 11 minutes later through Bendebka from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Mohammed Al Absi, but the reigning champions managed to see the win through after Al Shanqiti scored a fourth for Al-Ittihad in second-half stoppage time.
Data Debrief: Bergwijn stars in Benzema's absence
Although Al-Ittihad recorded more shots (16) and shots on target (seven) than Al-Fateh, the visitors accumulated 2.04 expected goals (xG) to their 1.49.
Bergwijn stepped up in Karim Benzema's absence, with his brace making the difference at Al Inma Bank Stadium at King Abdullah Sport City.
It was a similar story for Al-Ittihad, with Benzema and Bergwijn now involved in 16 of their last 24 Saudi Pro League goals (13 goals, three assists combined), while this was the Dutchman's first against Al-Fateh.
