No Benzema, no problem: Who is Steven Bergwijn? Dutch winger scores twice as Al-Ittihad beat Al-Fateh 4-2

Missing their captain and star striker, Al-Ittihad showed no signs of slowing down as they beat Al-Fateh 4-2 at home in the second round of the Saudi Pro League. With Karim Benzema sidelined due to injury, all eyes turned to Steven Bergwijn, and the Dutch winger delivered with a blistering first-half brace that sealed the momentum early.

On a night when questions hung heavy over Benzema's absence, it was Bergwijn who offered answers, and then some.

Match recap: Al-Ittihad outgun Al-Fateh without Benzema

Al-Ittihad extended their perfect start to the 2025–26 Saudi Pro League season with a 4–2 home win over Al-Fateh in a high-tempo, at times chaotic encounter that saw both teams reduced to ten men. The visitors struck first, with Houssem Aouar breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute. The midfielder drove into the box, danced past Jorge Fernandes, and slotted a composed finish beyond Fernando Pacheco into the far corner.

Al-Fateh's early aggression paid off, but their lead lasted just over ten minutes. Matías Vargas brought Al-Ittihad level in the 33rd minute before Steven Bergwijn turned the game on its head. The Dutch winger reacted sharply to a deflected cross from Moussa Diaby in the 35th, poking the ball past Pacheco to make it 2–1. Four minutes later, he added his second, converting from close range after a rebound fell kindly inside the area.

Just before half-time, Al-Fateh’s Mourad Batna saw red after a second yellow, the first for dissent, the second for a rash challenge, tipping the numerical balance in Al-Ittihad’s favor. But that advantage didn’t last long. Al-Ittihad’s goalkeeper Predrag Rajković was sent off in the 58th minute for a last-man foul outside the box, pulling the sides back to parity. Al-Fateh capitalized. In the 69th minute, Sofiane Bendebka calmly converted from the penalty spot after being brought down by Mohammed Al-Absi, making it 3–2.

But their hopes of a comeback were crushed in stoppage time, when Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti burst forward and buried Al-Ittihad’s fourth, sealing the points in front of a home crowd at Al Inma Bank Stadium, King Abdullah Sports City. The hosts finished the match with 16 shots and seven on target, compared to Al-Fateh’s more efficient 2.04 xG from fewer chances. But in the end, it was Bergwijn’s clinical double that tilted the balance — a defining performance in the absence of Karim Benzema.

Steven Bergwijn: From Amsterdam to Jeddah, and now the main man

Steven Bergwijn’s performance tonight wasn't a one-off. Since his arrival at Al-Ittihad, the 27-year-old has steadily grown into his role. Signed in a late summer window move from Ajax Amsterdam, Bergwijn joined the Saudi champions for a fee exceeding €21 million. He signed a deal running until June 30, 2027, with an estimated gross salary of €9.18 million per year, that’s €176,538 per week, excluding bonuses. His journey to Jeddah has been anything but linear. Born in Amsterdam to Surinamese parents, Bergwijn began his football education at Ajax’s youth academy.

A dispute with a coach led him to leave for PSV Eindhoven, where he broke into the senior team in 2014 and went on to win three Eredivisie titles between 2015 and 2018. He scored in decisive matches, including the 3-0 title-sealing win over Ajax in 2017–18. In 2020, Tottenham Hotspur brought him to the Premier League for £26.7 million. He made an immediate impact, scoring on debut against Manchester City and later delivering a memorable stoppage-time brace against Leicester in 2022.

After returning to the Netherlands with Ajax in July 2022 for a record-breaking €31.25 million, the most expensive transfer in Eredivisie history, Bergwijn again hit the ground running, scoring a hat-trick in his second league appearance. Internationally, he has 35 caps for the Netherlands and has scored 8 goals. His debut came in October 2018 in a 3-0 win over Germany in the UEFA Nations League. Now at Al-Ittihad, alongside stars like Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, and Benzema, Bergwijn has become central to the club’s attacking blueprint, especially in matches like tonight’s, where leadership and execution were needed in equal measure.

Timeline and context: From round 1 to what’s next

Al-Ittihad’s campaign began on August 20 with a dominant 5-2 away win over Al-Okhdood. Benzema netted a hat-trick that night (4', 51', 60'), Steven Bergwijn added one in the 7th minute, and Saeed Al-Rabiei scored an own goal to complete the tally. That win set the tone, although defensive vulnerabilities were still evident. Al-Okhdood, the hosts that day, currently sit 16th in the table, while Al-Ittihad climbed to 2nd place after tonight’s result.

Al-Fateh, meanwhile, had lost their opening game 0-1 to Al-Fayha at home, and were hoping to rebound, but ran into a sharper, more assertive opponent.Steven Bergwijn’s match-winning brace against Al-Fateh wasn’t an isolated show of brilliance, it continues a pattern of high-impact performances in pivotal moments since his arrival at Al-Ittihad.The Dutch winger made headlines earlier in the year during the Saudi El Clasico on February 23, 2025, when Al-Ittihad dismantled their archrivals Al-Hilal 4–1 at King Abdullah Sports City.

In one of the league’s most anticipated fixtures, Bergwijn played a starring role, scoring twice and wreaking havoc down the left wing. That result was a major statement in the title race and underlined his ability to rise on the biggest domestic stage.Fast forward to May 21, 2025, and Bergwijn once again found the net in the final league match of the 2024–25 season, a 3–1 win over Al-Raed. With the title already secured two games earlier, the match was celebratory, but Bergwijn’s goal capped a dominant season in style.

It was a fitting conclusion to Al-Ittihad’s 10th Saudi Pro League title campaign, a run in which Bergwijn played a defining part alongside Karim Benzema. Looking ahead, Al-Ittihad faces Al Wahda on Monday, September 15, in the AFC Champions League at 9:30 PM. Their domestic calendar is also marked with high-profile clashes.

Tactical depth: Laurent Blanc’s team without Benzema

Karim Benzema’s absence due to a muscle injury suffered in training was officially confirmed ahead of the match, with the club stating he is undergoing rehabilitation under medical supervision.

There is no set timeline for his return, and it remains unclear whether he’ll feature in the next few league or Champions League fixtures. Tactically, his unavailability meant manager Laurent Blanc had to reconfigure the frontline. Rather than replace like-for-like, the team adopted a more dynamic approach, allowing Bergwijn to operate with greater freedom on the left flank, occasionally drifting centrally.

The midfield stepped up in transition, and the full-backs, particularly Al-Shanqeeti, provided late attacking width. Beyond the tactical shuffle, Benzema’s leadership void was noticeable — but temporarily masked by Bergwijn’s sharp execution and a high-tempo midfield performance. Defensively, Al-Ittihad still conceded two goals, signaling issues that may require tightening before continental play begins. Al-Fateh tried to contain through midfield blocks, with players like Youssouf and Sofiane Bendebka tasked with ball retention and counter-launching, but defensive frailties once again let them down. For a club built on star power, tonight was a reminder that depth and adaptability win matches, especially early in the season. Steven Bergwijn, often overshadowed by flashier names in the squad, has made his own case, not just as a supporting act, but as a difference-maker in his own right. Benzema’s return may be awaited, but if tonight proved anything, it’s that Al-Ittihad are more than a one-man show.