Wissing's Bold Decisions in Roshn Saudi League Opener

Jens Wissing made his first big call of the Roshn Saudi League season before a ball had even been kicked.

The Al-Ittihad head coach, in charge of his first league game at the club, left Nigerian striker George Ilenikhena out of the squad entirely for the opener against Al-Khaleej at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, placing his faith instead in Moroccan forward Youssef En-Nesyri.

En-Nesyri leads, Ilenikhena axed

En-Nesyri was handed the role of central striker and built into the heart of Wissing’s attacking plan. Either side of him, the German set up with serious pace and direct running: Moussa Diaby on one flank and Steven Bergwijn on the other.

The real shock sat on the teamsheet. Ilenikhena, who had come off the bench in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Al-Jazira of the UAE in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off qualifier, did not just miss out on the XI – he was omitted from the matchday squad altogether.

He was not alone.

Defensive shake-up

Serbian defender Jan-Carlo Simić, a starter in that Al-Jazira victory, also disappeared from the squad. Wissing reshaped his back line, recalling Ahmed Al-Julaidan to start at right-back.

Al-Julaidan joined left-back Faris Abdi, with Danilo Pereira and Stefan Keller forming the central defensive pairing in front of the goalkeeper. It was a clear signal that Wissing wanted familiarity and balance in defence as the league campaign began.

Midfield continuity

If the back line and attack carried bold decisions, the midfield told a different story. Wissing kept faith with the same trio that controlled the game against Al-Jazira.

Farha Al-Shamrani, Dion Lopy and Houssem Aouar all retained their places, giving Al-Ittihad a settled core through the middle as they chased a strong start in the Roshn Saudi League.

The message was unmistakable: reputations and recent cameos would not be enough. Under Wissing, selection has to be earned – and for Ilenikhena and Simić, the fight to reclaim their places starts now.