Bernard Mensah stunned fans with a remarkable solo goal, but it wasn’t sufficient to secure a victory for Al Tai as they succumbed to a thrilling defeat against Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League clash at the Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa’ed Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Before the game, Al Tai faced an uphill battle against Al Ahli, with a head-to-head record heavily favoring the latter, having secured three wins in previous encounters while Al Tai struggled to notch a victory.
Despite Al Ahli dominating in shots and possession throughout the match, it was Mensah who stole the spotlight just moments before half-time.
Mensah showcased his brilliance by taking on three defenders with a clever run from his half before unleashing an unstoppable strike to open the scoring.
However, Al Tai’s joy was short-lived as Al Ahli quickly responded with a strong offensive display. Brazilian forward Roberto Firminio capitalized on a Riyad Mahrez assist to level the score just before the break.
In the second half, Firminio continued to haunt Al Tai’s defense, giving Al Ahli the lead with another clinical finish. Mahrez, who had been pivotal in setting up goals, turned from provider to scorer, extending Al Ahli’s lead with a goal of his own eight minutes before the final whistle.
Despite a courageous effort from Al Tai, Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie put the game to bed with a powerful header late in the game, sealing the victory for Al Ahli.
