Rodgers: Fatigue and heat nearly cost us points against Abha

Brendan Rodgers, the manager of Al Qadisiyah, admitted that fatigue and high temperatures in Khobar put his players under significant pressure against Abha, while Damir Buric, the coach of Abha, acknowledged his opponent's right to win.

Al Qadsiah secured a 2-1 victory in the ninth round of the Saudi Pro League, raising their tally to 22 points and temporarily topping the table, benefiting from the postponement of some matches in the round.

Brendan Rodgers explained during the press conference that his team started the match well and took the lead, before trying to calm the pace of the game against a rival fighting for victory. He confirmed his satisfaction with the players' efforts and the result.

Al Qadisiyah's coach noted that the effects of the team's recent trip to Uzbekistan were evident on some players, explaining that the heat affected their concentration, and that the goal conceded by his team could have been avoided under normal circumstances.

Rodgers revealed that Al Qadisiyah missed the services of their top scorer Keunones and several key players, emphasizing the importance of rotating the lineup due to the congested schedule. He stated that he will give more players rest before facing Al Hilal, while stressing the need to focus first on the match against Al Taawoun.

Damir Buric stated that Al Qadisiyah possesses outstanding players and deserves the win, noting that Abha created opportunities to threaten their opponent's goal but failed to capitalize on them. He also observed that the differences between the two teams were evident during the match.

Abha's coach expressed pride in his players' performance despite the loss, stating that the team needs to improve their finishing touch. He expects the performance to develop as the matches continue, after their tally has stopped at two points without achieving any victory so far.