Rodgers says Al Qadsiah have sent a warning to Al Hilal after narrow defeat

Brendan Rodgers said Al Qadsiah had shown they can compete with Al Hilal for the rest of the season, despite suffering a 3-2 defeat in the Roshn Saudi League.

Al Hilal claimed victory in a closely contested match at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam on Friday, in the 11th round of the competition.

Speaking at his post-match news conference, in comments reported by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Al Qadsiah manager Rodgers said his side had matched the league leaders for long periods.

“We played a great game and competed with Al Hilal,” the former Celtic and Liverpool manager said.

He added: “We were missing some players, but I am proud of what the players delivered. The message has been sent that Al Qadsiah will compete with Al Hilal until the end of the season.”

Asked why he had chosen to make that point, Rodgers explained the progress made by the club in a short period.

“Two seasons ago, Al Qadsiah were in the first division and today they are competing strongly,” he said. “We are playing against an experienced team, and that is what made me say it. I did not mean anything else.”

Rodgers also praised his players for their effort, saying they had given everything despite the result.

“I told them after the match that they had not fallen short,” he said. “They gave everything they had, and even worked beyond that. I had to applaud them because they did not fail in any aspect.”

The Irishman rejected the idea of using the circumstances surrounding the match as an excuse, although he noted that Al Hilal had enjoyed a longer period of rest.

“I do not like making excuses, but Al Hilal’s players had relatively more time to recover,” Rodgers said. “I congratulate Al Hilal on the victory; they deserved it. They have some outstanding players, as we do, and it was a great match despite the physical demands and the absences in our team.”

Rodgers also highlighted the contribution of Al Qadsiah’s Saudi players and expressed his optimism about the next generation of talent.

“I am proud to have these Saudi names in the squad; they are a mainstay of the team,” he said. “The Saudi player is developing and excelling. I have several players, including Musab Al Juwayr, Jihad Zakri, Mohammed Abu Al Shamat, Al-Qahtani and others. I am optimistic about a great Saudi generation at the 2034 World Cup.”

The result moved Al Hilal to the top of the Saudi league with 27 points. Al Qadsiah dropped to third, two points behind Al Hilal and level with Al Nassr on points, but behind them on goal difference. Al Qadsiah have played one match more than both teams.