League leaders Al-Ittihad produced a sensational second-half comeback to defeat rivals Al-Nassr 3-2 at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Sunday night, significantly tightening their grip on the Saudi Pro League title and dealing a huge blow to the hosts’ aspirations.
Al-Nassr appeared to be cruising towards a crucial victory when they established a 2-0 lead before halftime. Sadio Mané opened the scoring just 123 seconds into the match, netting his 13th goal in all competitions. Ayman Yahya then doubled their advantage in the 37th minute with a composed finish.
However, the match turned completely after the break. Karim Benzema ignited the comeback for Al-Ittihad in the 49th minute, scoring his 19th league goal of the season. Just three minutes later, N’Golo Kanté struck powerfully to level the scores at 2-2.
With the pulsating contest seemingly heading for a draw, Houssem Aouar scored a dramatic winner for Al-Ittihad in the 94th minute, slotting home to silence the home crowd and secure three vital points.
The match concluded in chaotic scenes as tempers flared after the final whistle. Referee Danny Makkelie issued yellow cards to Al-Ittihad’s Steven Bergwijn and Al-Nassr’s Abdullah Al Khaibari, while Al-Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby received a straight red card following an altercation.
The crucial victory moves Al-Ittihad to 71 points, extending their lead over second-placed Al-Hilal (62 points) to six points with only four rounds of the season remaining. For fourth-placed Al-Nassr (60 points), the defeat effectively ends their title challenge and compounds a disappointing week following their AFC Champions League Elite semi-final elimination by Kawasaki Frontale.
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