Al-Taawoun lost a valuable point against Al-Ittihad, conceding a heartbreaking goal in the dying seconds of stoppage time. The match, played in Buraidah, featured a standout performance by Fayçal Fajr, who provided the assist for his team’s only goal. However, Karim Benzema’s experience tipped the balance in favor of the visitors, who won 2-1 and reinforced their position as league leaders after 19 rounds of the Saudi Pro League.
After falling behind in the 21st minute through Abdulrahman Al-Aboud’s goal, Al-Taawoun managed to equalize just before halftime with a perfectly executed corner kick by Fajr. The Moroccan found the far post, where Gambian forward Musa Barrow powered the ball into the net with a powerful strike.
A turning point occurred when the referee initially awarded Al-Ittihad a penalty for a handball by Fajr inside the box after a shot by Benzema. However, after reviewing the incident via VAR, the decision was overturned. Despite this, Benzema scored the decisive goal in the 95th minute, securing the victory for his team. The match also saw the participation of Moroccan midfielder Achraf El Mahdioui for Al-Taawoun, while Abdelhamid Sabiri came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute.
