A last-gasp strike by Pitso Mosimane’s Saudi Arabia side Al Ahli Jeddah restored their lead at the top of the log.
Ahli edged Al-Ain 1-0, thanks to a Marcao strike that ensured they shot to the top of the standings.
Al-Akhdood had temporarily dislodged Ahli after their win on Sunday.
However, Pitso Mosimane’s side fought hard to stay on course to win the title in the Saudi Arabia second-tier league.
It was their 11th win in the last 13 games as they narrowly beat 12th-placed Al Ain.
The win means they now sit on 58 points, just two ahead of Al Akhdood. Interestingly, former log leaders Al Hazem, seemingly Ahli’s most prominent challengers, dropped points for the second game running.
They have played two back-to-back draws, forcing them to slip to third place. Until the 70th minute, there was little to write home about in the game.
The turning point was when Abdulbaset Al-Hindi saw red for Al Ahli in the 71st minute. Five minutes later, Al Ain had Yassen Hamza and Lahouari Touil sent off as the game continued with 10 vs nine players.
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Just nine minutes before the final whistle, Marcao missed a penalty for Mosimane’s Ahli. However, he made up for it with an 89th-minute strike that sealed maximum points for the former topflight side.
After 14 minutes of injury time, Ahly had to hold on for victory as their opponents kept coming at them.
With 58 points in the bag, Ahli now sits 16 points ahead of the first non-promotion spot on the log.
Mosimane’s mandate with the club is to secure promotion, and mathematically, three wins would guarantee that.
Mosimane could win the league title, adding to his burgeoning CV. The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach enjoys a sparkling record with Ahli, having recorded 14 victories, six draws, and two defeats since taking over