The Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição of Al-Ittihad discussed the reasons for the loss against Al-Ahli in the Jeddah derby.

Al-Ahli achieved a victory over Al-Ittihad with a score of 1-0 in a match held on Saturday evening as part of the eighth round of the Saudi Pro League.

In the press conference following the match, Concesao said: "We didn't want the confrontation to end this way. It was an unattractive match, with a lot of time-wasting, and the other team closed up their defense. Overall, it was not a good match."

He added, "We knew the challenge would be tough. One of the main points was that we didn't have enough aggression with the ball and without it. We tried to create opportunities, but it was difficult, and it was a one-goal match."

He continued: "Any team wants to come out with a positive result, and that's natural. We didn't enter the match with the spirit, determination, and desire to win. The turning point was that Al Ahly players played with greater spirit than us during some moments of the match, and they succeeded."

He added, "If we want to compete for the top spots, we need to play with a greater spirit. Everyone prepares for the match technically, but the difference is always the desire, and that is what we failed to achieve in the confrontation."

He continued: "It was a tense match from both sides, and when you play against a team that is defensively organized and aggressive, it makes your task more difficult, which is normal. We weren't successful in reaching the goal."