DAMMAM — After eight Saudi Pro League matches without a win, Al Ettifaq finally returned to form with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Al Khaleej in the 13th round of the competition. Goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and substitute Abdullah Radif secured the much-needed victory for Steven Gerrard's side, who overturned a one-goal deficit to claim all three points. The win lifts Al Ettifaq to 15 points, moving them to 11th place, while Al Khaleej remains on 19 points in eighth. The match began with Al Khaleej's Abdullah Al Salem testing goalkeeper Marek Rodak early, but Al Ettifaq responded with several chances, including a close-range effort from Moussa Dembélé that struck the post. Khalid Nari put Al Khaleej ahead in the 35th minute, capitalizing on a long pass to fire home from inside the penalty area. Konstantinos Fortounis thought he had doubled the lead just before halftime, but his goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. Al Ettifaq equalized in dramatic fashion during first-half stoppage time, with captain Wijnaldum heading home Alvaro Medran's expertly delivered free kick. The momentum carried into the second half, but the visitors struggled to convert opportunities from Seko Fofana and Dembélé. In the 83rd minute, substitute Radif sealed the comeback with an acrobatic finish following a corner kick, giving Al Ettifaq their first league victory in 10 matches and reigniting their campaign.
