He climbed the ladder fleeing the tigers: no-mercy Ittihad mockery of Al-Qadsiah's million-dollar signing!

A shocking attack stuns Al-Qadsiah's new star!

Tijjani Reijnders' debut did not go the way Al-Qadsiah's new signing from Manchester City had hoped. Al-Ittihad edged the standout fixture of the second round of the Roshn League 1-0, "the Dean" holding on despite spending a large chunk of the game a man down.

Reijnders, who joined Al-Qadsiah a few days ago in a huge deal worth around 61 million euros, made his bow for his new side as a 57th-minute substitute. Hopes were high that he would hand his team an attacking boost the moment he stepped on.

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Al-Qadsiah dominated possession and piled on the pressure, particularly after Reijnders arrived. Al-Ittihad clung to their lead and snatched the 1-0 win with 10 men for much of the match, leaving the Dutch newcomer without the impact everyone expected on his first outing.

Al-Ittihad's official account seized on the result to mock their rival's new signing. They posted a doctored video on "X" showing Reijnders climbing a set of stairs, a sarcastic jab at his attempt to get away from "the Tigers", Al-Ittihad's famous nickname.

One image was not enough. The club added a barbed caption: "The Dutch artist in the presence of the Tigers", a clear message of the Dean's delight at the win and their glee at ruining the debut of their opponent's million-euro man.

Here lies the irony. Reijnders came on while Al-Qadsiah held the numerical advantage, and their fans banked on him to exploit the spaces and pin Al-Ittihad back. Instead, the Dean's defence stood firm to the finish and kept a clean sheet.

Al-Ittihad sent Al-Qadsiah a strong message with this victory, grinding out the win in trying circumstances. Reijnders' first appearance played out against the script the club had written, turning a deal that grabbed headlines for its price into material for Al-Ittihad's ridicule.

Eyes now turn to Reijnders over the coming matches. Was this simply a starting point, with more settling-in time needed, or must Al-Qadsiah wait longer still before their Dutch star begins to justify the record fee they paid for him?