Pitso Mosimane’s Abha Club Boost Saudi League Survival Chances With Crucial Win Versus Al Khaleej

Pitso Mosimane’s Abha Club Boost Saudi League Survival Chances With Crucial Win Versus Al Khaleej

Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
updated at May 24, 2024 at 6:42 AM
In this article:
Abha logo
Abha
Saudi Arabia
31
Al Khaleej Club logo
Al Khaleej Club
Saudi Arabia
26
Saudi Professional League logo
KSA Professional League
Saudi Arabia
  • Pitso Mosimane's Abha Club are close to safety in the Saudi Pro League
  • Jingles' side dug deep to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win against Al Khaleej
  • They must avoid losing to Al Hazem on the final day to escape the drop

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Abha Club significantly boosted their survival chances with a crucial 2-1 victory against Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday night, May 23.

Pitso Mosimane's team, embroiled in a heated relegation battle, had to dig deep to push themselves out of the drop zone ahead of the final round of games.

Pitso Mosimane, relegation, Saudi Pro League, Abha Club, Al Khaleej, drop zone.
Pitso Mosimane on the touchline for Abha Club during their penultimate Saudi Pro League game against Al Khaleej on May 23, 2024. Photo credit: @abhaFC.
Source: Twitter

Late heroics puts Abha on the brink of safety

A last-gasp strike from Fabian Noguera, along with Francois Kamano's first-half goal, rendered Abdullah Al Salem's effort merely a consolation.

Knowing they needed a win to enhance their chances of staying in the Saudi top flight after a two-game winless streak, including a 5-1 humbling against Al-Ahli, Abha drew first blood after the half-hour mark.

Al Khaleej, on the other hand, intensified their search for an equaliser and were rewarded for their valiant efforts with 12 minutes remaining.

Saudi midfielder, Al Salem, scored his second goal of the campaign with a sensational free kick to level the score, leaving the home side in despair.

However, the final twist came when defender, Noguera, netted the crucial winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, sending the home crowd and the Abha bench into wild jubilation.

Mosimane's men held on to secure a vital 2-1 win, climbing out of the relegation zone with one game left.

Currently in 15th position with 32 points, Abha must avoid defeat in their final league game against the already relegated Al Hazem on May 27, per Sofascore.

Mosimane dismisses monetary disputes with ex-club

Sports Brief also previously reported that Mosimane avoided focusing on monetary disputes, instead emphasising his historic contributions at a former club.

Reflecting on his tenure at Al Ahli, Jingles expressed pride despite the team pursuing a case with FIFA over unpaid wages, which was decided in their favour.

Despite the financial victory, the South African coach downplayed the monetary aspect of the situation, highlighting the importance of a legacy over money.

Authors
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe photo
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe
Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe is a Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and La Liga editor with five-year experience. He previously worked with Sports Corna and 360SportsGH.
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