JEDDAH: Karim Benzema grabbed the headlines on Friday but Al-Ittihad and Al-Taawoun shared the points with a 1-1 draw in this top of-the-table clash in the Roshn Saudi League.
The French striker guarantees goals wherever he goes and did just that in Buraidah, though perhaps not quite in the way that many expected as he netted for both teams.
Going into the game, the defending champions were fourth, two points behind Al-Taawoun in the standings and looking to bounce back from a blip in form that had seen a draw with Al-Fayha followed by a derby loss to Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli.
Ittihad took the lead midway through the first half.
It was made by Igor Coronado. The Brazilian was galloping down the right, had one look into a crowded penalty area and then picked out Benzema with a perfect cross and the current holder of the FIFA Ballon D’Or made it look easy — though it was far from it — to climb and head the ball home from close range for his fourth of the season in his eighth league appearance.
It was a welcome strike for Benzema as it was his first for more than a month, though injury has played a part, and also for Ittihad who had failed to find the net in their two previous league outings. Talk of a goal drought that was beginning to materialize has been put to bed.
After a bright start from Al-Taawoun, who would have gone top above Al-Hilal with victory as they had collected an impressive 22 points from the first nine games of the season, it quietened the fans but they were on their feet after 26 minutes.
There didn’t seem to be much danger when Alvaro Medran floated over a corner but there was Benzema, rising at the near post to head into his own net past the despairing dive of Marcelo Grohe.
The two goals reflected a finely balanced contest but the headlines very nearly went elsewhere as, on the stroke of half-time, Musa Barrow almost scored one of the goals of the season. The Gambian goal-getter was fully 35 meters from goal when he unleashed an unstoppable shot that beat Grohe but cannoned back off the crossbar. It would have been a spectacular strike and he was to hit the woodwork again in the second half.
After the restart, the game ebbed and flowed and both teams looked to turn one point into three. Brazilian goalkeepers Grohe and Mailson both played their part in ensuring that it ended all square.
It was a fitting scoreline and while it means that Ittihad have now not won in their past three league games, coach Nuno Santo should not be too disappointed at taking a point from a team that had won their previous eight league games at home. These days, a draw in Buraidah is a fine result indeed.
And the hosts have shown once again that they can go toe-to-toe with the big boys. After the 2-0 win at Al-Nassr early in the season, Taawoun coach Pericles Chamusca was disappointed to lose an exciting game to Al-Ahli 3-2. It remains the only loss so far in this campaign.
Last season the team were capable of beating any other in the league but a lack of consistency meant a fifth-place finish. At the moment, however, they are picking up regular points and increasingly look like a force to be reckoned with as does Karim Benzema — at both ends of the pitch.