The Al-Ettifaq Sentinel
Player ratings7 Sep 2026
João Costa runs at them all day
Successful dribbles: 36. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Market7 Sep 2026
Ziyad Al-Ghamdi hands in a written request
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Al-Ettifaq can pretend not to have heard.
Player ratings7 Sep 2026
Álvaro Medrán goes up and wins it — 7.80
A defender on the scoresheet, which happens rarely enough that everybody in the ground remembers who took the corner. 1 for him, and a mark of 7.80 for the rest of it.
Squad7 Sep 2026
Abdulbasit Hawsawi says Al-Ettifaq went back on their word
“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.
Market7 Sep 2026
Al-Ettifaq say no — this time
The offer from Al-Ra'ed for Awad Dahal was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Squad7 Sep 2026
Georginio Wijnaldum in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Al-Ettifaq this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Market7 Sep 2026
Madallah Al-Olayan moves on
Al-Taawoun pay $750.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.
Squad7 Sep 2026
A muscle injury sidelines Radhi Al-Otaibi for 15 days
Nobody makes a documentary about a hamstring and everybody in the game fears one. Al-Ettifaq will be careful with the return date, because the second one is always worse than the first.
Squad7 Sep 2026
Words at Al-Ettifaq training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mohau Nkota is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
In brief
- The terraces Al-Ettifaq supporters have found a favourite in João Costa
- Market Al-Mojzel watching Turki Ba Al-Jawsh
- Match Al-Ettifaq find a way past Al-Hazem