Mahnashi's Stoppage-time Strike Fuels Al-Qadsiah Comeback To Deny Al-Ahli Top Spot

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Al-Qadsiah stunned Al-Ahli with a 3-2 comeback win in the Saudi Pro League, denying the visitors a move to the top of the table. Al-Ahli led 2-0 through Ivan Toney and Valentin Atangana, yet Musab Al Juwayr, Turki Al Ammar and Ibrahim Mahnashi turned the match around deep into the second half and stoppage time.

Al-Ahli controlled large spells and looked comfortable until Al-Qadsiah’s late surge, which again highlighted the strength of Brendan Rodgers’ bench options in this Saudi Pro League campaign. The hosts created fewer chances overall, yet stayed in the contest, then punished Al-Ahli’s loss of focus in the final minutes with two goals beyond the 90th minute.

Underlying numbers show Al-Ahli created the better openings, generating 1.8 expected goals from 12 attempts, compared with Al-Qadsiah’s 0.59 from 10 shots. However, Al-Qadsiah’s resilience and impact substitutes proved decisive. Al Ammar and Mahnashi both came off the bench to score, meaning Al Qadsiah have scored seven goals via substitutes in the Saudi League this season, more than any other team.

The visitors first went ahead shortly before the 30-minute mark. Al-Qadsiah failed to clear several dangerous crosses from both flanks, and the loose ball dropped kindly for Toney. The English forward struck a clean volley into the bottom-right corner, beyond goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s reach, giving Al-Ahli a deserved early advantage in this Saudi Pro League clash.

Al-Ahli doubled the lead on 42 minutes, seemingly taking full control. Galeno broke free down the left wing and drove into space before sending a low cross across the six-yard area. Atangana arrived in stride to finish first time, claiming a fourth league goal of the season and placing Al-Ahli in a strong position against Al-Qadsiah before half-time.

The second half restarted at a slower tempo, which suited Al-Qadsiah as the hosts tried to steady the match. That shift helped Christopher Bonsu Baah find space, and Bonsu Baah cut the ball back for Al Juwayr, who placed a composed finish past Mendy with 27 minutes left. The goal lifted Al-Qadsiah’s belief and changed the momentum of this Saudi Pro League meeting.

Al-Qadsiah pushed harder as the clock ran down, and pressure finally brought reward in stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, Bonsu Baah slipped a pass into Al Ammar, who converted to level the match. Six minutes later, a long throw created chaos in Al-Ahli’s area and Mahnashi reacted quickest, poking the ball home in the 98th minute to complete the dramatic Saudi Pro League comeback.

Elsewhere in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Ittihad’s difficult title defence continued with a 3-1 defeat against Al-Riyadh. Youssef En Nesyri gave Al-Ittihad the lead, but Leandro Antunes, Toze and Mamadou Sylla all struck in the second half. The result boosted Al-Riyadh’s hopes of avoiding relegation this season, while leaving Al-Ittihad’s campaign under further pressure.

Al Qadsiah have also won after trailing at half-time at home in the Pro League for the first time since August 2017 against Al Raed, ending a sequence of 10 home matches without victory in that situation. The result underlined how Al-Ahli’s control slipped late on and how Al-Qadsiah’s substitutes again shifted the balance in this Saudi Pro League season.