JEDDAH, 15 September 2004 — Saudi Premier Side Al-Ittihad were held to a 1-1 draw by China’s Dalian Shide in Beijing but could well be satisfied with this effort in the Asian Champions League quarterfinal yesterday as they came away with a valuable away goal.
The draw was all the more creditable as the match was played in driving rain and in slushy conditions. Ittihad dominated the proceedings showing their penchant for the aerial mode of attack and could have well come home with a victory. Though they came close on many occasions, they could not add to their tally.
It was Ittihad who took the first goal in the 21st minute when Mohammed Nour’s superb curling ball from a set piece fell on the path of Croat Mario Carevic, who fired home clinically.
Mario soon had another chance when Brazilian teammate Chico crossed the ball to him, but his shot was too wide and Ittihad went into the break with a goal advantage.
Ittihad continued to call the shots and in the 49th minute Chico had a chance to increase the margin, but his weak effort was cleared inside the penalty area.
In a brief seven-minute period in which the Chinese club came into their own they got their equalizer. But they did rattle Ittihad with a 60th minute free kick effort that was arcing its way into the goal. But goalkeeper Mabrouk Zayed anticipated the ball and fisted it out of harm’s way.
But Dalian were not to be denied a goal and it came in the 66th minute through Zou Jie. Though Ittihad roared back into the attack after this strike, they could only see two-gilt-edged chances being frittered away.
First in the 71st minute Mohammed Nour wasted a Khamis Al-Zahrani cross with a directionless header and then in the 80th minute Hamed Abou Ruba blasted the ball wide from within striking distance.
