Jan-Carlo Simic blames individual errors for Al-Ittihad defeat by Al-Hilal

Al-Ittihad defender Jan-Carlo Simic says individual mistakes cost his side in their 3-2 defeat by Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League’s eighth-round classic, but insists the result will not define their season.

The Serbian said Al-Ittihad had failed to achieve the outcome they wanted in one of the biggest fixtures in Saudi Arabia and Asia. He acknowledged that the occasion brought considerable pressure for both teams, but maintained that the decisive moments had gone against his side.

Simic, 21, identified defensive errors as the reason Al-Ittihad conceded their goals, stressing that small details often decide major matches, particularly when facing strong opponents.

He said the team must now focus on correcting those mistakes rather than allowing the defeat to affect their ambitions for the campaign. With many matches still to play, Simic believes Al-Ittihad have time to put the result behind them and return to the right path.

The defender also called for a quick response from the squad. He said the players needed to analyse what went wrong, recover physically and prepare for their next fixture, which is scheduled to take place in two or three days.