DAMMAM — Al-Ettifaq marked an ideal beginning in the Gulf Champions League by overcoming their Bahraini guest, Al-Riffa, with a 3-1 victory in the opening round of the group stage at the Al-Ettifaq Club stadium in Dammam. Despite trailing initially after Joel Vinicius scored for Al-Riffa in the 41st minute, Al-Ettifaq turned the game around, thanks to a remarkable performance by Cameroonian striker Karl Toko Ekambi, who netted two goals, along with a third goal from captain Georginio Wijnaldum. Ekambi quickly leveled the score just a minute after Al-Riffa's opening goal, and he added another early in the second half to put Al-Ettifaq ahead. Wijnaldum sealed the victory with a third goal in stoppage time. The win allows Al-Ettifaq to bounce back from recent domestic setbacks, placing them at the top of Group B with three points, especially after the match between Qadsia of Kuwait and Qatar's Al-Arabi ended in a 1-1 draw. English manager Steven Gerrard expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance in the match. In a press conference following the match, Gerrard stated, "We are very happy with the result and the performance; this is the start we wanted." He noted, "The team entertained us, especially in the attacking third." Gerrard also praised Jack Hendry for his strong performance, despite having missed several matches, and emphasized the importance of building on the positives. He mentioned the need to address defensive errors, particularly regarding coverage behind the midfield, acknowledging that they conceded a goal from a long-range shot. He concluded by highlighting the contributions of his players, particularly Abdulilah Al-Malki, who had a significant impact on the match.
