Jens Wissing said Al-Ittihad’s “spirit” and willingness to sacrifice were decisive as his side claimed a difficult 1-0 victory over Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League.
The match, played on Friday evening at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, was settled by a single goal in the second round of the competition.
“It was a difficult match, and there was a lot of pressure on us,” Wissing told reporters at his post-match news conference, in comments carried by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. “Our players performed with courage and sacrifice until the end.”
Asked what had enabled Al-Ittihad to secure the win, the German coach said: “When the spirit is present, the great Al-Ittihad appears a club with a rich history of trophies. That is what we always want.”
Wissing said the result was particularly significant because Al-Qadsiah were among the strongest teams in Saudi Arabia.
“We are a big team, and we faced one of the best teams in the country,” he added. “We made our presence felt because everyone worked hard, made an effort and took responsibility, especially after our player Dion Lopy was sent off at the start of the second half.”
The dismissal left Al-Ittihad to protect their narrow advantage for much of the second half, but they held on to record their first victory of the Saudi Pro League season.
Wissing was visibly unhappy when the discussion moved away from the match and towards transfer speculation involving his squad. He was asked about the future of French winger Moussa Diaby, who is reportedly close to moving to Bayer Leverkusen, as well as a possible deal for Al Ahly midfielder Imam Ashour.
The Al-Ittihad manager declined to engage with either subject.
“I will not talk about anything outside the match on this happy night for the people of Al-Ittihad,” he said. “The matter at Al-Ittihad is not only technical; it is also about the spirit, sacrifice and effort of the players.”
The victory moved Al-Ittihad on to four points after two league matches. They had begun their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Al-Kholood in the opening round and now sit fourth in the table.
For Wissing, the performance offered an early indication of the qualities he wants from his team: resilience under pressure, collective responsibility and the ability to compete against one of the league’s leading sides even after being reduced to 10 men.