Bruno Lage: Simple mistakes cost us defeat against Al-Ittihad

Bruno Lage, the coach of Al-Dhariyah, attributed the loss against Al-Ittihad by two goals to nil to mistakes he described as simple, confirming that his team was capable of handling the situations that led to the opponent's goals in a better way.

Laj explained in the press conference after the match that Al-Dhariyah entered the game ready to face a strong opponent, adhering to instructions and trying to create chances. However, he emphasized that some details could have been avoided to prevent conceding goals.

The coach justified making four early changes by stating that his team had played three matches in seven days, noting that he wanted to maintain the players' vitality and the rhythm of play, while selecting the best 11 players physically despite the tight schedule.

Laj confirmed that his team dealt with the spaces behind the defensive line, and that his reliance on defensive advancement comes as part of his approach to present an attacking style of play. He added that the strength of the Al-Ittihad players does not negate the possibility of avoiding the mistakes that decided the match.

The coach of Al-Dhariyah emphasized that he does not use the pressure of matches as an excuse for defeat, explaining that the team was aware of the nature of these circumstances. However, he stated that they still need more work and development after collecting 15 points in 11 matches.

Hussein Al-Qahtani, a player for Al-Dhariyah, stated to the 'Thamaniya' channel that his team entered the match with the aim of winning despite its difficulty, congratulating Al-Ittihad and considering that mistakes are part of football, but they affected the result of the match.

Al-Qahtani explained that his team lost the ball while trying to build a counter-attack before the first goal, which gave Al-Ittihad the opportunity to exploit the spaces. He also pointed out that the second goal came from a penalty that followed a loss of possession in midfield.

George Elenikina scored in the 30th minute, followed by Jorginho Wijnaldum adding the second goal in the 77th minute, raising Al-Ittihad's tally to 23 points in 4th place, while Al-Dhariyah's total remains at 15 points in 8th place.