DUBAI: In the closing days of their reign as Saudi Pro League champions, Al-Ittihad clinched a 3-1 away victory over Al-Ettifaq to go fifth in the table, three clear of Al-Taawoun.
The visitors took the lead at EGO stadium in Dammam through Houssem Aouar after only three minutes, and Moussa Diaby doubled the lead on 19 minutes.
Khalid Al-Ghannam halved the deficit after 26 minutes, and Al-Ettifaq appealed for a penalty deep into first half stoppage time that could have leveled the score, only for the video assistant referee to deny their claim.
Diaby’s second of the night, after 78 minutes, restored the two-goal cushion and guaranteed the three points for Al-Ittihad. They now have 55 points with two matches left to play, while Al-Ettifaq are sitting in seventh place with 49 points and just one game to go.
Elsewhere, Al-Qadsiah beat visiting Al-Hazem 2-0. The opening goal came after 14 minutes from Julian Quinones, who had another disallowed by VAR, and Ali Abdullah Hazari added the second with just five minutes left of the 90.
The win keeps Brendan Rodgers’s men in fourth place on 74 points with one game to play, just one point behind third-place Al-Ahli who have played one game fewer. Al-Hazem remain in ninth place with 39 points.
Al-Fateh also enjoyed a 2-0 victory, at home to Al-Najma, with the goals coming from Maria Vargas in the 20th minute and Fahad Al-Zubaidi in the 54th. Any hopes the visitors might have had of an unlikely fightback evaporated when Brazilian midfielder Guga was sent off after 68 minutes.
The win leaves Al-Fateh in 12th place on 36 points with one game to play, while Al-Najma remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table with just 13 points and no hope of climbing out of it in their final game of the season.
