Pusic says weather contributed to Al-Ahli defeat and welcomes Toney-Abdulrahman clash

Al-Ahli head coach Marino Pusic said hot and difficult weather conditions contributed to his side’s 3-2 defeat by Al-Qadsiah in the Roshn Saudi League, while insisting he was pleased to see Ivan Toney and Mohammed Abdulrahman show their passion during a second-half exchange.

Al-Ahli were beaten in a five-goal contest at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam on Tuesday, with the result coming in the sixth round of the competition.

Speaking at his post-match news conference, in comments reported by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Pusic said his team had made a positive start before conceding three times.

“We entered the match well and shared control with Al-Qadsiah, but we conceded three goals,” the Dutchman said.

Al-Ahli responded strongly after the interval and scored twice, but could not find the goal required to earn a point. Pusic also said there had been “some minor observations regarding the refereeing”.

“In the second half, we pressed strongly to equalise and scored two goals,” he added. “We had the chance to get back into the match, but we were not successful.”

Pusic said the conditions had affected his team, particularly towards the end of the first half, when Al-Qadsiah scored.

“The weather played a role,” he said. “We started well, but as time went on, especially in the final minutes of the first half, Al-Qadsiah scored.”

Al-Ahli’s manager stressed, however, that he did not want to use the weather as the sole explanation for falling three goals behind.

“We had to make corrections in the second half,” he said. “The weather had a negative effect, but it cannot be an excuse that I consider the only reason why we were trailing by three goals.”

He also pointed to missed opportunities and acknowledged the quality of Al-Qadsiah, describing them as “a strong and stable team”.

The Dutch coach was then asked about an exchange between England striker Toney and Saudi Arabia right-back Abdulrahman during the break for a drinks interval in the middle of the second half.

Pusic said the confrontation was a normal part of football and could even help strengthen a team’s spirit.

“These are normal things that happen between players and are a reflection of the result,” he said. “Sometimes it can be positive because it creates more spirit within the team.”

He added that Al-Ahli’s determined attempt to recover after the incident showed it had produced a positive response.

“What happened afterwards in the second half, and the serious effort to come back in the result, is evidence of the positive effect,” Pusic said.

“I am happy that this enthusiasm is reflected in the team. In the end, it is something that happens, and I have seen it at many stages of my coaching career.”

The defeat was Al-Ahli’s third in their opening six Roshn Saudi League matches. They remain on nine points and are seventh in the league table.