The Saudi Ittihad team began its journey under the guidance of new coach Sergio Conceição with a disappointing draw against Al-Faih, ending 1-1 in the fifth round of the Roshen Saudi League, in a match that raised questions about the performance of captain Karim Benzema.

Benzema failed to capitalize on a precious opportunity to secure the victory after missing a penalty in the final moments, continuing Ittihad's streak of winless matches for the third consecutive game, following their loss to Al-Nassr in the previous round and their Asian draw against Al-Shorta.

The French star's struggles continued against Panamanian goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera, who maintained his superiority by saving another penalty, repeating what he did in last season's encounter when he denied the Ittihad captain from scoring in the same manner.

Despite Benzema changing his shooting technique, he chose the same corner he was accustomed to, allowing Mosquera to once again respond perfectly, thwarting Ittihad's hopes of securing the winning points.

This penalty marks the fifth that Benzema has missed while wearing the Ittihad jersey in the league, after he had previously allowed some of his teammates to take penalties last season, emphasizing that winning is more important than personal scoring.

On the other hand, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi stole the spotlight after a successful return to participation, as he came on as a substitute and scored the equalizing goal just one minute later, in his first appearance since November 2024, earning him the Best Player of the Match award from the Roshen League Association.

Al-Ghamdi expressed his happiness after the match, saying: "It was a difficult period being away from matches, but I have confidence in myself and always strive to serve Ittihad," indicating his desire to continue delivering performances that keep him in Hervé Renard's considerations for the Saudi national team.

Ittihad is quickly preparing to travel to Iraq in preparation for facing Al-Shorta on Monday in the AFC Champions League, without a resting period, in an attempt to regain its continental balance after an unconvincing start under Conceição.