UD Las Palmas 1–2 Al Ittihad Club
International Club Friendly | 26 July 2026

UD Las Palmas suffered a narrow 1–2 defeat to Al Ittihad Club in their pre‑season friendly at the Estadio Gran Canaria. The match, played in warm conditions, provided a stern test for the Canary Islands side against the Saudi Arabian champions.

Match Story

Al Ittihad, boasting a star‑studded squad including Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté, started brightly. They took the lead in the 14th minute when Benzema collected a pass from Igor Coronado, turned sharply, and fired a low drive into the bottom corner. Las Palmas responded well, equalising just before half‑time. A swift counter‑attack ended with Sandro Ramírez crossing for Kirian Rodríguez to side‑foot home from six yards.

The second half saw Al Ittihad regain control. Coach Marcelo Gallardo introduced fresh legs, and the pressure paid off in the 67th minute. Kanté won the ball in midfield, fed Benzema, who squared for Abdulrahman Al‑Oboud to score the decisive goal.

Performance Assessment

• Las Palmas’ fight: The home side showed encouraging intensity and created several chances, particularly through Sandro on the right.
• Al Ittihad’s quality: The visitors’ experience and individual brilliance made the difference, especially in transitional moments.
• Pre‑season progress: Both managers will see value in the competitive nature of the game, with Las Palmas set to face Tenerife next in their schedule.

Despite the loss, UD Las Palmas demonstrated they can compete with top‑tier opposition, a positive sign as they prepare for a demanding Segunda División campaign.