Al-Ahli And Al-Riyadh Share Points After Late Penalty Drama In Saudi Pro League Match

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Toze secured a last-minute 1-1 draw for Al-Riyadh against Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, with both teams awarded late penalties. Al-Ahli seemed poised to clinch a win and move up to third place, but a defensive error allowed Al-Riyadh to equalise. This result meant Al-Ahli lost ground on league leaders Al-Nassr.

Despite dominating the first half, Al-Ahli struggled to create significant chances. They increased their pressure after halftime, with Feras Al Brikan forcing Borjan into a reflex save from a far-post header. Ibanez also came close, hitting the underside of the bar with a volley from close range.

The breakthrough for Al-Ahli came in the 91st minute when Marzouq Tambakti was penalised for handball in the box. The ball brushed his fingers as he attempted to block a cross, leading to a lengthy VAR review. Toney confidently converted the penalty by shooting straight down the middle.

The drama continued as Al-Riyadh earned their own penalty five minutes into 12 minutes of added time. Abduelelah Al Khaibari fouled Mamadou Sylla from behind, prompting another extended VAR check. Toze stepped up and calmly slotted his shot into the bottom-left corner in the 101st minute.

Soon after, Ziyad Al Johani was sent off for a last-man foul on Sylla. Despite having an advantage, Al-Riyadh couldn't capitalise further. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli had two more penalty appeals dismissed during the remaining time.

Statistical Insights: Missed Chances

Al-Ahli will ponder how they didn't secure all three points despite their dominance on Thursday. They registered 19 shots with an expected goals (xG) value of 2.17 and hit the woodwork once. In contrast, Al-Riyadh managed only six shots with an xG of 1.05, failing to attempt any shots in the first half.

This result leaves Al-Ahli five points behind leaders Al-Nassr, who play later this weekend. Alarmingly for them, they have not won any of their last four home matches played in October (three draws and one loss), marking their worst run since the 2008-09 season.