By video: the Al-Ittihad talent denies Houssem Aouar a place in history

The Algerian star squandered a historic opportunity

Al-Ittihad's talented midfielder Houssem Aouar was denied the chance to enter the Saudi club's history through the widest of doors.

The Jeddah side hosted Al-Khaleej at the Al-Inma Stadium on Saturday in the opening round of the Saudi Roshn League.

When Al-Ittihad won a penalty, Aouar stepped up to take it in the 32nd minute. Al-Khaleej goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqiti superbly kept it out.

That miss made Aouar the first player to fail from the spot in the current Roshn League season. The five previous penalties awarded in earlier matches had all been converted.

Al-Shanqiti, on loan from Al-Ittihad to Al-Khaleej, denied his Algerian counterpart a place in the record books. A goal would have made Aouar the second player to score in at least two opening matches for "the Tigers" in the Saudi league during the professional era.

Aouar scored Al-Ittihad's opening goal in the 2024-2025 season, only for his own club's loanee to deny him a repeat this time around.

Fahad Al-Muwallad, the Al-Ittihad legend, remains the only player to have scored in more than one opening match for "the Tigers" in the Roshn League since the professional era began in the 2008-2009 season.