Al-Ahli Falls To Al-Ettifaq As Wijnaldum Scores Late Goals In Saudi Pro League Clash

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Al-Ettifaq secured a surprising 3-1 victory over Al-Ahli in their last home game of the Saudi Pro League season at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. Ivan Toney, Al-Ahli's leading scorer, initially put his team ahead with an early penalty. However, Mohammed Abdulrahman equalised for Al-Ettifaq shortly after halftime.

The match took a dramatic turn in the final moments. With just three minutes left, Georginio Wijnaldum, previously with Newcastle United like Toney, was fouled by Edouard Mendy. Wijnaldum converted the penalty himself, mirroring Toney's earlier success. Substitute Madallah Al Olayan then sealed the win with a goal from a tight angle in stoppage time.

This defeat is a setback for Al-Ahli, especially after their recent AFC Champions League Elite final victory against Kawasaki Frontale. They are currently fifth in the league but have secured ACL Elite qualification as titleholders. Their season concludes with an away match against mid-table Al-Riyadh on Monday.

Al-Ahli have often led matches this season but struggled to maintain those leads. Toney's sixth-minute penalty marked another quick start for them. Despite this advantage, they failed to secure all three points once more.

Their inability to hold onto leads has been costly. After conceding an equaliser early in the second half and two late goals, Al-Ahli have now lost 15 points from winning positions this season. This trend has significantly impacted their standing as they trail by 16 points from the top spot.