Al Ittihad's last-gasp legend: A title season written in stoppage time
Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Al Ittihad's 14th Saudi Pro League title will not be remembered as just another championship win — it was a season defined by drama, resilience, and an unshakable will to fight until the very last whistle.
Nicknamed by fans as 'Ittihad Time,' the Jeddah club earned a reputation for stunning late winners throughout their triumphant 2024-25 campaign — scoring 12 goals beyond the 90th minute, collecting a crucial 30 points from those dramatic finishes. Without them, the title could have easily slipped away.
These final moments mirrored the famous 'Fergie Time' era of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, with Al Ittihad repeatedly flipping matches in stoppage time, including nine matches with match-winning goals and three matches salvaged by late equalizers.
Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar stood out as the king of the clutch, scoring five goals after the 90th minute, each directly securing victories.
From the season opener against Al-Kholood to the pivotal late winner against Al Nassr on Matchday 30, Aouar was the face of Ittihad's grit.Al Ittihad finished 31 rounds of the season with 72 goals, scored by 15 different players. Star striker Karim Benzema led the way with 21 goals, followed by Aouar with 12, Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn with 10, and Abdulrahman Al Aboud with six — his highest league tally since joining the club.This title marked a shift in identity for Al Ittihad. While their 2022-23 title under Nuno Espírito Santo was built on defensive discipline and a league-record 19 clean sheets, the 2024-25 triumph under French tactician Laurent Blanc was driven by attacking flair and high possession.Blanc's Ittihad scored 12 more goals than the previous title-winning team and boasted a 59% average possession, compared to 51% under Santo. While the defense conceded 32 goals, more than twice as many as in their previous title season (13), their attacking edge proved decisive.Despite defensive vulnerabilities, Blanc guided the team to eight clean sheets and engineered a system where possession and pressing delivered results — cementing his tactical shift from the previous defensive blueprint.As Ittihad eyes a potential domestic double with the King's Cup final against Al Qadsiah, this season will be remembered for more than just silverware. It will go down as the year when Al Ittihad built their championship legacy in the dying minutes — and rewrote the script of title-winning football in Saudi Arabia.
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