Brendan Rodgers experienced his first Eastern Derby in emphatic fashion as Al Qadsiah dismantled Al Ettifaq 4-0 in Dammam on Monday night.
Brendan Rodgers experienced his first Eastern Derby in emphatic fashion as Al Qadsiah dismantled Al Ettifaq 4-0 in Dammam on Monday night.
The hosts struck twice inside the opening seven minutes at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium, setting the tone early before adding two more goals in stoppage time to complete a comprehensive victory.
Nahitan Nandez opened the scoring to maintain his impressive run, while Ghanaian youngster Christopher Bonsu Baah quickly doubled the advantage. Late in the contest, Julian Quinones registered his 22nd Roshn Saudi League goal of the campaign, moving to within one of Ivan Toney in the golden boot standings, before Julian Weigl added a stunning fourth moments later.
The result extended Al Qadsiah’s unbeaten league sequence under Rodgers to 14 matches and preserved their push near the top of the table.
Rodgers praised his side’s display, particularly given it was their second fixture in four days. He highlighted the tempo and quality shown during the opening half hour against opponents known for their attacking threat.
Defensively, Al Qadsiah limited Al Ettifaq to just two efforts on target, one of which came from close to the halfway line. At the other end, Rodgers felt his players generated numerous chances and demonstrated sharp, aggressive pressing.
Since taking over in December from Michel with a mandate to implement a more attack-minded approach, Rodgers believes his squad has embraced his philosophy. He has repeatedly stressed the importance of beginning matches with urgency and maintaining energy through to the final whistle.
According to the Northern Irish coach, the aim is to create a side that is relentless, difficult to face, and capable of striking early and late — a mindset he sees reflected in recent performances.
With a third of Matchweek 23 completed in the 2025-26 season, just three points separate leaders Al Ahli from fourth-placed Al Qadsiah. Even with Al Hilal and Al Nassr still to play, the East Coast club sits firmly in contention.
Despite their strong position, Rodgers refused to entertain discussion about a potential title challenge. When asked about objectives for the remainder of the campaign, his response was simple: win the next match.
He underlined that modern football demands short-term focus, insisting his attention is solely on performance levels and continued development.
For Rodgers, the priority is clear — build on progress, prepare for the upcoming fixture, and maintain momentum, one game at a time.
