Rui Vitoria has reflected warmly on the sizeable mid-season obstacles he cleared to guide Al Nassr to Saudi Professional League success.
The ex-Benfica coach’s charges came into Thursday’s final-day with a slender one-point lead over – then – reigning champions Al Hilal. But it would be the yellow half of Riyadh left to celebrate a first title since 2014/15 after a brace from Morocco predator Abderrazak Hamdallah earned a 2-1 win against relegated Al Batin at a raucous King Fahd International Stadium, making the Crescent’s 3-2 triumph against Al Shabab moot for their hopes.
“I went to Saudi Arabia to do my best, believing that it was possible to win, in a difficult context, mid-season, with a group that had not been prepared by us,” TVI24 were told by Vitoria, who inked an 18-month contract in January after time was called on a trophy laden four-year stint at Estadio da Luz.
“We ended up winning this championship and we were satisfied by that.
“It was hard work, initially with a three-point gap and then six. But we knew what we had to do.
“The special flavour is to win, wherever it is. I’m glad to have this title after four months in the country – this is very gratifying.”
There was also joy for managerless Al Ahli Jeddah when they crept into a play-off spot for the 2020 AFC Champions League in the last round.
Caretaker Yousef Anbar did his bit with a 5-0 thrashing of mid-table Ettifaq, in which Cape Verde striker Djaniny notched a hat-trick.
I’m a WINNER! 💪🏻🥇pic.twitter.com/1RdR4oW4kq
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) May 16, 2019
Shabab had begun the day in third, yet their defeat against Hilal sent them spinning down to fifth. Al Taawoun took their place in the top three with a 2-1 victory against Al Faisaly, though their claiming of the King’s Cup earlier this month meant their continental spot went down to fourth-placed Ahli.
At the bottom, Al Qadsiah were confirmed as the third-and-final automatically relegated outfit with a 2-2 draw at Al Hazem.
This outcome, however, had positive ramifications for Al Fayha. Their 5-2 beating of Al Wehda guaranteed them safety, plus painfully dropped Hazem into the relegation play-off.
