Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard recently broke a nine-game winless streak in the Saudi Pro League and King's Cup with a comeback victory over Al-Khaleej.
Ex-Reds midfielder Gini Wijnaldum scored his second goal of the season, followed by Abdullah Radif sealing the win with just seven minutes left on the clock. Despite a disappointing domestic run, including a surprising loss in the King's Cup to a lower league team, Ettifaq has been unbeatable in the Gulf Champions League, with Gerrard's squad winning their first four matches.
Its latest victory was a resounding 5-0 triumph over Al-Arabi, securing its spot in the competition's semi-finals. However, it had a tough time in the Pro League, with a 3-1 loss to Al-Jabalain in late October adding to its woes. It also led to the exit of sporting director Mark Allen and assistant manager Dean Holden. This paved the way for a reunion with former Liverpool youth team coach Michael Beale.
Khaled Narey kicked off the scoring 35 minutes into Saturday's match, and as half-time approached, Ettifaq's Dammam rivals thought they'd doubled their lead through Kostas Fortounis, but VAR disallowed his goal. Moments later, in the sixth minute of added time in the first half, Wijnaldum shook off his marker to head in the equalizer.
Ettifaq dominated the possession stakes in the second half, with Gerrard's team finding joy at the death courtesy of a stunning Radif bicycle kick. Reflecting on their victory, the 44-year-old shared: "I really enjoyed the match; it was intense. Al-Khaleej played a good game and it was a tough challenge.
Steven Gerrard, the head coach of Saudi Pro League team Al Ettifaq.
The tide might finally be turning for Gerrard (Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
"However, the most important thing was that after conceding the early goal, we fought back and showed sacrifice. The desire was there, and we demonstrated a strong character to come back and win the game."
Delighted with the quality on display, he added: "The second goal was world-class. Everyone played a role in the game, we were eager to improve our league performance. Winning a derby match was a crucial opportunity to get back on the winning track in the league.
"It is important not to dwell too much on today's result. There is still a lot of work to do, both defensively and offensively. We will continue to work with the players to develop and improve our league performance."