Karim Benzema scores on his debut to fire Al Ittihad to victory
Karim Benzema marked his Al-Ittihad debut with a stunning goal that gave his new club a 2-1 win in their first Arab Club Champions Cup match.
The Ballon d’Or winner is one of the most high-profile players to join the Saudi Pro League. Benzema recently signed a three-year deal with Al Ittihad.
Benzema and Kante make impactful debut with Al Ittihad
Moreover, his France teammate N’Golo Kante, also joined Al Ittihad after leaving Chelsea on a free transfer. Kante provided stability in the midfield during the second half.
Benzema has proved his worth and will continue to do so in the future. The French striker recorded a goal and an assist on his debut against Espérance Sportive de Tunis. Moreover, ES Tunis took an early lead in the 28th minute.
However, Abderrazak Hamdallah equalised with a close-range header after some great work from Benzema down the left.
Ten minutes into the second half, Benzema drifted out to the left wing before cutting inside and curling a shot past ES Tunis goalkeeper Amanallah Memmich. It was a beautiful goal from Benzema, who still is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world.
Karim Benzema’s statement after joining Al Ittihad
Benzema interviewed with the club’s media channel, he said: “It’s one of the top clubs in Saudi Arabia. It’s a club that sees a lot of passion from its fan and has many trophies.”
“The stadium is exceptional, and as I said and will repeat; there’s so much passion – a good team always needs fans. The fans are very important, and with that passion, it gives us the motivation to be best on the field.”
“I hope for my new club, what I’ll be able to bring is my football and most importantly to be able to win titles. It’s a new chapter for me and I would like to further advance the club.
“It’s a club with a lot of passion. I would like the fans to find themselves in me. I would like to leave a lasting legacy because I love football. I always have this competitiveness to push my limits and go even higher.
“That’s why I’m going to be well prepared to give them and show them my talent.”
