Asian CL Special: Al Ittihad - Saudi Arabia's K-League Killers

South Korea may have won 2-0 in Riyadh a year ago during qualification for the 2010 World Cup but there is one Saudi Arabian team that positively loves clashes with clubs from the Land of the Morning Calm.

Al Ittihad even has its own nickname in Korea - the only West Asian club that has been given an alternative by Seoul scribes.

The two-time Asian champions are known as ‘The K-League Killers’.

There is good reason. Over the years, the Jeddah Tigers have ended Asian dreams of a number  of times. This stretches back to 1999 and the now-defunct Asian Cup Winners’ Cup.  

With Pohang Steelers facing 'Itti' in the Asian Champions League final on Saturday, Goal.com takes a look at the Tigers' impressive record against Korean opposition.

April 1999: Asian Cup Winners’ Cup final: Al Ittihad 3-2 Chunnam Dragons

Perhaps this is a happy omen for the Saudi Arabian club as the final took place in Tokyo. Chunnam Dragons came back from a goal down to lead 2-1 with six minutes remaining. Then, Mohamed Hawsawi equalized for the Tigers and in extra time, Ahmed Bahja got the second of two penalties to send the trophy to West Asia.


October 2004: Asian Champions League semi-final: Al Ittihad 4-3 Jeonbuk Motors

Jeonbuk had been a little disappointed to lose the first leg 2-1 in Saudi Arabia but the Motors were confident of turning the tie around at home. It was looking good at half-time thanks to former German international Paulo Rink and Brazilian Botti.

A second half penalty from Ittihad’s Brazilian schemer Tcheco leveled the scoreline completely. Extra-time was looming when Osama Al-Harbi scored with just seconds remaining.


Nov/Dec 2004: Asian Champions League final: Al Ittihad 6-3 Seongnam Ilhwa

This is perhaps the most famous final in Asian Champions League history. Seongnam started as favourites and confirmed that status was a 3-1 first leg win in Jeddah that may have been a little fortuitous but was a professional performance all the same.

The story of the second leg has been told time and time again but with a two-goal deficit to overcome and the prospect of a sub-zero night in Seongnam, few gave Al Ittihad a chance. They won 5-0. Two first half goals had the South Koreans stunned and the hosts didn’t know whether to attack or defend their slender advantage.

They did neither and the Tigers seized upon the confusion to score three second half goals.


 September 2005: Asian Champions League semi-final: Al-Ittihad 7-0 Busan I’Park

This tie was over at the end of the first leg when Al Ittihad went to the south coast of South Korea and won 5-0. Busan had been struggling domestically but made it to the semi-final of the continental competition.

Busan moved the game from their usual cavernous Asiad Stadium on the edge of the city to the downtown arena of Gudeok. After a tight first half that ended goalless, Marzouk Al-Otaibi opened the scoring ten minutes after the break and soon after Mohamed Kallon made it two. A young Busan team fell apart and conceded three more.

Busan coach Ian Porterfield cut a bewildered figure at the end and despite his history of pulling off cup shocks, there was no coming back from this. The second leg was 2-0 to Al Ittihad.

Al Ittihad went on to win the final for the second successive year.     

John Duerden

Asia Editor

john.duerden@goal.com