Al-Ittihad overcome Al-Taawoun after another last-gasp Aouar winner
- The Algerian star had also scored a stoppage time winner against Al-Okhdood on the opening day of the Saudi Pro League season
JEDDAH: Houssem Aouar on Thursday night secured a stoppage time victory for Al-Ittihad when his 98th minute goal condemned Al-Taawoun to a 2-1 loss at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
On the opening day of the season, Aouar had scored in the 94th minute as Ittihad overcame Al-Okhdood 1-0 at Al-Hazem Club Stadium. And last night’s late intervention means that Laurent Blanc’s team now join Al-Hilal, Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ettifaq on a maximum of six points at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
Al-Taawoun had shocked the 2022-2023 champions by taking the lead on 59 minutes thanks to Musa Barrow’s stunning long-range strike, but Karim Benzema levelled the score after 70 minutes with a superb back-heel flick from Moussa Diaby’s low cross.
Al-Taawoun looked to have escaped with a draw as the match drifted into stoppage time but a penalty award for a foul on Diaby — and the sending off of Awn Al-Saluli — allowed the Algerian star Aouar to have the last word.
Meanwhile Al-Shabab, having lost on the opening match day of the season to Al-Ettifaq, bounced back with a 1-0 win at Al-Khaleej thanks to Yannick Carrasco’s winner on 60 minutes.
In Thursday’s first match, Al-Riyadh defeated newly promoted Al-Kholood 3-1 at Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Stadium.
