Pitso Mosimane’s First Game with Abha Club Ends in Dramatic Draw in Saudi Pro League

• Pitso Mosimane's era at Abha Club is in full swing
• The ex-Sundowns boss led the club to a 1-1 draw
• Up next is a game against Al Fayha on February 25

Pitso Mosimane's inaugural match at the helm of Abha Club, in the Saudi Pro League, unfolded in a spectacle of drama as the South African manager's squad settled for a draw against Al Taawoun.

After orchestrating Al-Ahly's return to the top tier of Saudi football, the esteemed African tactician left his position before joining Emirati club, Al Wahda, before taking an extended sabbatical.

Now, less than two years later, the 59-year-old tactician finds himself back in the Gulf region, this time leading Abha as they battle to stave off relegation from the top tier of Saudi club football.

Currently languishing in the relegation zone, Mosimane's new outfit sits on 14 points after 19 matches, facing a daunting goal difference of -30, narrowly ahead of the bottom-ranked Al Hazm.

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Abha's triumphs have been scarce, with their last victory on November 4, 2023, when they secured a 3-2 win against Al Akhdoud at home. However, subsequent defeats have worsened their woes.

Mosimane era begins against Al Taawoun

Despite the absence of Cameroonian star, Karl Toko Ekambi, per GOAL, Abha Club commenced the 'Mosimane era' with vigour.

However, they found themselves swiftly neutralised by Al Taawoun, who are currently positioned fourth in the league standings.

With no shots on target and facing relentless pressure, Mosimane's side adopted a defensive stance, showcasing a level of compactness previously lacking, having conceded 52 goals prior to this encounter.

The tides turned dramatically in the second half of the league clash as Abha Club seized more possession and launched a number of assertive attempts at goal, growing in confidence with each stride.

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Late goal denies Mosimane dream start

Their resilience bore fruit in injury time when Waleed Al-Ahmed inadvertently scored an own goal, granting the home team a fleeting lead in the 93rd minute.

Yet, their aspirations of ending their winless streak were dashed three minutes later when Dutch midfielder, Aschraf El Mahdioui, levelled the scoreline, resulting in a 1-1 stalemate.

Mosimane speaks on facing Ronaldo and co.

Sports Brief also reported that Mosimane has offered insights into the daunting challenge of facing teams featuring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzena, and others in the SPL.

According to the experienced South African tactician, competing against such clubs presents a formidable hurdle, primarily due to the significant disparity in resources between them.