Pitso Mosimane’s Abha FC’s fight against relegation hit a snag as they were held to a 1-1 draw by fellow strugglers Al Riyadh.
Abha, coming off a crucial win before the break, took the lead through Francois Kamano in the first half. Despite dominating possession, they couldn’t capitalise, with both teams level in shots on target by halftime.
The second half saw a shift in momentum as Al Riyadh piled on the pressure. Their persistence paid off in the 70th minute when Saleh Al Abbas scored the equaliser.
Mosimane tried to change the tide with substitutions, but Abha couldn’t find the winner. The draw keeps Al Riyadh three points ahead in the standings, with Knowledge Musona missing from their squad.
Abha remains in 17th with 22 points from 25 games, while Mosimane has collected eight points from his six matches in charge. Abha have secured two victories, a draw, and suffered two losses. Wins against Al Tai and Al Wehda offered glimpses of hope, but defeats to Al Fayha and a heavy 3-0 loss to Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq before the international break highlight the ongoing challenges.
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WHAT’S PITSO MOSIMANE’S NEXT ASSIGNMENT?
Their fight for survival continues with a tough test next Tuesday against Cristiano Ronaldo’s high-flying Al Nassr. After a convincing win against Al Tai, Al Nassr will be high on confidence ahead of their next meeting with Abha.
Ronaldo grabbed a hattrick in their 5-1 win over Musona’s former club Al Tai on Saturday. Ronaldo’s club is in second place in the Saudi Pro League table.
The league title looks out of reach for them, as they trail Al Hilal by 12 points with nine games to go before the end of the season. Nonetheless, Al Nassr will be looking to at least finish as runners-up.