By Michael Madyira
Former Manchester City forward Riyaz Mahrez was on target to lead Al Ahli’s 5-1 thrashing of Abha Club on Saturday and condemn Pitso Mosimane’s side back into the Saudi Pro League relegation zone.
Following a slight improvement which saw them vacating the drop zone two matches before visiting Al Ahli, a former club of Mosimane, Abha slipped back into the murky waters of relegation.
The brief rise to safety even earned the ex-Bafana Bafana coach praise from his bosses.
But they lost away and dropped from 15th spot to position 17 on the 18-team table with two league matches remaining and have just two points more than basement side Al Hazm.
That makes their upcoming games against Al Khaleej at home and Al Hazm away swim-or-sink affairs for Mosimane and his men.
On Saturday, Mahrez grabbed Al Ahli’s fourth goal with five minutes to go after Feras Al Brikan and Ziyad Al Johani had given them a 2-0 halftime lead.
Sumayhan Al Nabit picked up on that with another strike before Mahrez struck and then Ivorian forward Franck Kessie completed the routing.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s own goal in stoppage time handed Abha a consolation in a match where ex-Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino lasted 90 minutes for the hosts but could not register his name on the scoresheet.
The defeat by Al Ahli was another heavy defeat for Mosimane who in recent games has led his side to big losses by Al Akhdoud (4-0), Al Shabab (5-0) and the 8-0 home thumping by Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
Pictured above: Abha Club coach Pitso Mosimane.
Image source: Abha Club
