Dembele double sees Gerrard's Al Ettifaq bounce back in style | OneFootball

Moussa Dembele fired a brace as Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq responded with an emphatic win at Damac, while Al Kholood shocked high-flying Al Ahli on a night of late drama in the Roshn Saudi League on Wednesday.

Coming into the clash in Khamis Mushait on the back of last week’s dispiriting defeat to Al Kholood, Al Ettifaq displayed superb mettle to run out convincing 3-0 winners at Damac Club Stadium.

Dembele was the main man for the Dammam club, with the French striker scoring twice in the first half to give the visitors a commanding lead. The former Celtic and Fulham forward opened the scoring on 22 minutes, even if it was via a large slice of good fortune when he deflected home the ball following a corner.

Damac, who had new manager Nuno Almeida making his home debut, did have a goal disallowed eight minutes from half-time, when Abdelkader Bedrane’s close-range header was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

Al Ettifaq quickly deepened the hosts’ despair, when Dembele was fouled in the penalty area as he shaped to shoot and, courtesy of another VAR intervention, a spot-kick was awarded. The frontman dusted himself off to convert from 12 yards for the second successive match. The double lifted Dembele to six RSL goals this season.

Al Ettifaq made safe the victory seven minutes from time, when Dembele turned provider to tee up Vitinho for a simple finish past Damac goalkeeper Florin Nita. The win, only Al Ettifaq’s fifth in the league this campaign, keeps Gerrard’s side in 11th, but draws them level on points with 10th-placed Damac.

Also on Wednesday, Al Kholood halted fifth-placed Al Ahli’s five-match winning streak in the RSL with a last-gasp 1-0 victory in Buraidah. Barcelona youth product Alex Collado snatched the three points in injury-time with a brilliant solo run and finish.

Al Ahli did have defender Merih Demiral sent off shortly after half-time for a high challenge on Al Kholood winger Hammam Al Hammami. Originally deemed a yellow card, the decision was upgraded to red following a VAR review.

Matthias Jaissle’s men remain fifth but now lead Al Shabab in sixth only on goal difference. The capital club came out on top in the derby with Al Riyadh on Wednesday, triumphing 2-1 thanks to Abderrazak Hamdallah's 97th-minute goal to give new manager Fatih Terim a first RSL win.