Danilo Pereira red card leaves Al-Ittihad facing early test against Al-Kholood

Portuguese defender Danilo Pereira endured a disastrous six-minute spell as Al-Ittihad’s opening match in the Roshn Saudi League was turned on its head by two costly errors against Al-Kholood.

Al-Ittihad hosted Al-Kholood at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday in the first round of the Roshn Saudi League. The home side went into half-time with a 1-0 lead, but the beginning of the second half brought a dramatic change in the match.

Danilo Pereira was at the centre of both major incidents, first being punished for his defending and then being sent off following a video review.

Al-Kholood levelled in the 52nd minute when Dominguez converted a cross with a header. The goal came after Danilo Pereira failed to stay close enough to the Al-Kholood player, allowing him the space to attack the delivery and direct the ball into the net.

The defender’s difficult afternoon continued only a few minutes later. He kicked an Al-Kholood defender while the ball was not in play, an offence that initially required further consideration by the referee before the final decision was made.

Referee Majed Al-Shamrani reviewed the incident with the video assistant referee and then showed Danilo Pereira a red card in the 58th minute. The dismissal left Al-Ittihad with 10 players and forced the team to reorganise for the remainder of the contest.

The two incidents came within a six-minute period that transformed the momentum of the match. Al-Ittihad had appeared to be in control after taking a narrow advantage into the break, but Danilo Pereira’s defensive lapse and subsequent dismissal handed Al-Kholood a significant opportunity.

German manager Jens Wissing responded by reducing his side’s attacking options to cover for the absent defender. He brought on Saudi defender Hassan Kadesh in place of French winger Moussa Diaby.

The substitution reflected the immediate impact of the red card on Al-Ittihad’s approach. With Danilo Pereira no longer available, the team had to sacrifice an attacking player and use another defender in an effort to restore its defensive balance.

Al-Kholood’s equaliser and the dismissal ensured that the opening fixture of the Roshn Saudi League became a far more complicated affair for Al-Ittihad than the half-time score had suggested. The home side’s early advantage was erased at the start of the second half, with Danilo Pereira’s mistakes providing the defining moments of the match’s opening stages.