Blanc laments Al-Ittihad´s lack of initiative in Al-Ahli draw

Laurent Blanc was frustrated by Al-Ittihad’s nonaccomplishment to “take the initiative”, though they came from down to gain a 2-2 gully with Al-Ahli successful the Saudi Pro League.

Al-Ittihad doubly trailed Al-Ahli connected Saturday, with Moussa Diaby cancelling retired Roger Ibanez’s opener earlier Ivan Toney looked to person scored the victor successful the 82nd minute.

However, Karim Benzema netted a stoppage-time equaliser, with his onslaught going successful disconnected the station to gain the leaders a point, which moved them 5 wide astatine the apical of the table.

Al-Ittihad endured a dilatory archetypal half, accumulating conscionable 0.07 expected goals (xG) arsenic they failed to registry a changeable connected target.

They improved aft the break, dominating possession and scoring with some of their efforts connected target, but they did not make capable to instrumentality the crippled to Al-Ahli, who had 13 shots overall.

“Until the past moments, we were trying to score,” Blanc said.

“I spoke with the players during half-time and asked them, are you waiting for Al-Ahli to people first? We should beryllium the ones to instrumentality the initiative; we person to instrumentality risks to score.

“It is existent that successful erstwhile matches, we were reactive, but against Al-Hilal [a 4-1 triumph successful February], for example, we were the amended broadside and did instrumentality the initiative.”

Al-Ittihad person present won conscionable 1 of their past 5 matches successful the Saudi Pro League, drafting the different four.

Blanc’s broadside are presently without goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, left-back Mario Mitaj and winger Steven Bergwijn done injury.

“I don’t similar to comparison my squad to immoderate different team, but we indispensable beryllium realistic and admit that we person galore injuries affecting us,” Blanc added.