Wissing Relieved as Al-Ittihad Survive Late Scare Against Al-Hazm

Al-Ittihad walked off with three points and a few frayed nerves. A 3-2 win over Al-Hazm in the Saudi Roshn League kept their unbeaten run intact, but it also exposed the toll of a brutal early-season schedule.

Technical director Jens Wissing did not hide either emotion: satisfaction and concern.

“We are happy with the win, and there is no easy encounter given the fixture congestion,” he said after the match. “We played five matches in two weeks, produced a brilliant first half and scored, but we lost our sharpness in the second half and allowed the opponent to attack. The most important thing in the end is securing the victory.”

Al-Ittihad have indeed been pushed hard: five games in under two weeks, four wins, no defeats. The numbers look good. The legs, less so.

Strong Start, Heavy Legs

The pattern against Al-Hazm told the story. Al-Ittihad were aggressive and incisive before the break, then faded as the game stretched, inviting pressure and leaving Wissing watching a more open contest than he would have liked.

“We are certainly happy with our start, it is a good one for the season, but we still have a lot ahead of us,” he said. The German quickly pointed to the bigger picture. “The transfer window is also still open, and we are studying our options.”

The schedule has clearly shaped his thinking. Wissing linked the second-half drop-off directly to the recent workload.

“We played three days ago against Al-Qadsiah, and we exerted a great deal of physical effort, and that certainly affected us,” he explained. Al-Hazm then attacked in a very different way, forcing Al-Ittihad into an energy-sapping battle. “We faced a side that wore us down with long balls, and we were forced to exert a great effort. Every team has its own weapons, and in the end the result is the most important thing.”

Diaby Left Out: “Not Mentally Ready”

One of the night’s biggest talking points did not involve anyone on the pitch.

Moussa Diaby trained. He did not play. Wissing’s explanation was blunt.

“The answer is simple. When a player comes and says he is not mentally ready, he cannot be involved.”

No dressing it up, no hint of punishment either. Just a clear line on availability.

“I want players who are ready, and in the coming period we have a lot of fixture congestion, so if a player is not 100% ready, I am not prepared to rely on him.”

That stance fits with the intensity Wissing is trying to impose. From the start of pre-season, he has pushed for a high-tempo, aggressive style, and he admitted the team are still some way from the finished product.

“Since the start of the camp we have been working on developing ourselves, because we want to produce football that relies on high intensity, but we have not reached that yet,” he said. “The demands I ask of the players are being carried out well, but they are not yet at the best possible level.”

The message is clear: the standard is high, and so are the physical and mental demands.

Unwavering Backing for En-Nesyri

If Diaby’s absence raised eyebrows, another storyline has been simmering for weeks: Youssef En-Nesyri’s goal return.

The Moroccan striker has been under fire for his declining scoring rate, but Wissing did not hesitate when his name came up. He moved instantly into defence mode.

“Youssef En-Nesyri is one of my best players,” he insisted. “Since my arrival he has been one of the best players, and I do not care what the media or the fans say about him.”

The criticism has centred on end product. Wissing’s focus is broader.

“He may be unsuccessful in scoring, but he puts in a high and excellent effort, and that matters to me.”

For now, that trust is absolute. En-Nesyri runs, presses, and occupies defenders the way his coach wants, and in a side still chasing peak intensity, that work rate carries weight.

Al-Ittihad leave this mini-run of games unbeaten, stretched but standing, with a coach who is demanding more, backing his striker, and drawing a firm line on who is ready to play. With the transfer window still open and the fixtures piling up, the real question is how long this thin margin between control and chaos can hold.