Mahrez’s super strike secures Al Ahli win | OneFootball

Matthias Jaissle’s Al Ahli continued their resurgence in the Roshn Saudi League with a third consecutive win, with Riyad Mahrez the saviour once more at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City.

The side from Jeddah finished third last season, but have struggled for domestic form even as they sat top of the AFC Champions League Elite with the full 15 points from their opening five matches in the competition. Four defeats in their first nine RSL games saw Al Ahli lingering in the bottom half, but there has been a reversal of fortunes of late.

Against Al Wehda on Friday, Al Ahli showed their attacking intent early on, with a swift passing move inside six minutes allowing the ball to reach Feras Al Buraikan, who rifled with his left, drawing a fine reflex save from opposition goalkeeper Abdullah Al Owaishir at the near post.

Minutes later, it was Ivan Toney’s turn to have a pop. The England internationa watched his free-kick from 25 yards beat Al Owaishir but bounce off the upright and behind for a goal-kick.

At the other end of the pitch, it was Iraqi winger Youssef Amyn who had Al Wehda’s first sight of goal, dancing past his marker down the right flank and curling a shot goal-ward with his left, only to be denied by Al Ahli goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Toney’s pursuit of a fourth RSL goal in his 10 outing once more crashed against the woodwork. With 10 minutes until the break, the 28-year-old picked up Al Buraikan’s pass on the left side of the Al Wehda penalty area and fired with his left onto the crossbar.

A thrilling, if ultimately goalless, first half gave way to one in the second that was a bit more measured but productive on Al Ahli’s end.

Ten minutes after the restart, the hosts took the lead following a fine move that saw Franck Kessie deliver a diagonal ball into the box, which was headed back by Al Buraikan into the path of Mahrez, leaving the winger to meet it on the half-volley. The Algerian’s strike was too powerful for Al Owaishir and nestled into the bottom corner for what proved to be the winner.

Substitute Morad Khodari had a golden opportunity late on to draw level against his childhood club after he picked up Saeed Al Muwallad’s pass and manoeuvred his way past Roger Ibanez then looked to find the bottom corner, only for Mendy to make an exceptional one-on-one save, tipping the ball behind for a corner.

The victory pulls Al Ahli up into sixth place with 20 points, just five points behind third-placed Al Nassr. Meanwhile, a losing start with new coach Jose Daniel Carreno for Al Wehda, despite plenty of positive signs, has them dropping into the relegation zone on goal difference behind Al Okhdood.