Around an hour before kick-off the Islamic call to prayer echoed around the compact, bowl-shaped stadium from a nearby speaker.
Officials drenched in sweat stood on the athletics track enthusiastically waving arms and rehearsing chants with excited schoolchildren ahead of a game for which around 15,000 would be present, with 11,000 seats left unflipped.
The night-time temperature was a 36 Celsius, so humid it felt like the last few seconds of a steam room session, in settings more akin to an Indian cricket ground rather than a Premier League arena.
Camera operators took their places, placing wet towels on their heads. Outside, hawkers dealt almost exclusively in merchandise bearing the colours of the away team, who had almost as many followers inside as the hosts.
This was not Liverpool. This was not Anfield. This was not Sunderland. This was the Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz Stadium, where Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson took the first steps of their Saudi Arabia careers with Al-Ettifaq on a steamy evening on the country’s east coast.
Steven Gerrard got off to a winning start at Al-Ettifaq manager with a 2-1 victory over Al-Nassr
Sadio Mane (left) scored for Al-Nassr, as Jordan Henderson (right) got an assist for Al-Ettifaq
Saudi Pro League poster boy Cristiano Ronaldo missed the game because of an injury
Just three minutes and thirty three seconds after kick-off the size of the task ahead presented itself when the Riyadh big guns of Al-Nassr, without an injured Cristiano Ronaldo, took the lead thanks to an old friend.
Sadio Mane’s trip to the Middle East has gone comparatively unnoticed in the spending spree and none of Gerrard’s defenders spotted him here, as he stole in to slot home from close range.
The away end, in which around 2,000 had gathered, celebrated, as did large pockets of yellow in the home sections. This felt like a smaller club against a relative giant.
The first-half was low on quality. That was understandable for a much-changed Al-Nassr, involved in an exhausting Arab Club Champions Cup Final extra-time win on Saturday night.
But Gerrard, hands on hips and dressed in black, appeared frustrated as he patrolled the edge of his technical area, shouting instructions and clapping his hands to little effect.
There was at least some familiarity. Twice Henderson attempted his aerial through balls but here there was no Salah to run onto them and the goalkeeper came and collected on both occasions. He also twisted and turned in the area, sending a defender to the shops, but then miscued his cross over the bar.
Mane shone and had a late equaliser ruled out for offside in the absence of star man Ronaldo
Gerrard has hinted as the size of the task at hand but he got off to the perfect start on Monday
Gerrard had hinted at this being a big job. He is not at a superpower and will have had to earn some of his giant salary at half-time.
Dammam, Al-Ettifaq’s home, already has an integral place in Saudi’s history.
It was here, in 1938, when a team of drillers from California finally struck the rich vein of oil that would transform the country’s fortunes. It is a city built on that oil, a giant Texas of the desert. But from a football perspective there have been barren years.
Al-Ettifaq won the league twice in the 1980s but there has been no title since then. Henderson will know that feeling, although whether he can be part of a celebrated squad that breaks that run remains to be seen.
But there was luck. Shortly after the restart – during which Gerrard (and his translator) had presumably issued stern words, Henderson launched a corner into the box and Al-Nassr keeper Nawaf Alaqidi, who appeared to have lost the ability to catch, fumbled a ball under no pressure. Swede Robin Quaison tapped in.
Henderson and Mane, former team-mates, were reunited at the toss as captains of their sides
On 52 minutes, Al-Ettifaq had the lead when Alaqidi punched another cross and this time Moussa Dembele, formerly of Celtic, scrambled it home,
The visitors pressed but could not find a response. Henderson, shirt stuck to his chest, exited on 87 minutes to an ovation.
For a 33-year-old who covers every blade, the remainder of blazing summer will be a heavy introduction.
Fourteen minutes were added, enough time for Mane to have an equaliser ruled out for offside. It was not pretty, but this was a decent start. This was not Liverpool, but it was three points.
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
Mail Online
