Mosimane’s Al-Ahli need four points to clinch promotion to Saudi top-flight

Pitso Mosimane’s Al-Ahli need four points from their remaining five matches to mathematically clinch promotion from the Yelo League to Saudi Arabia’s top-flight Saudi Professional League (SPL).

Given his side top the second tier with 62 points from 29 games and a goal difference of +22, and that fifth-placed side Al Faisaly have 44 points from 27 games and a +7 difference, Al-Ahli could even pop Champagne corks if they win their next game away against ninth-placed Hajer next week Wednesday.

Ahli’s 3-1 away win against 17th-paced Al Sahel on Monday night left Mosimane’s team effectively three points, though mathematically four, from attaining the goal of promotion set by his employers when he signed for the fallen Jeddah giants in September last year.

With the SPL being expanded from 16 to 18 teams in 2023-24 the top four rather than the normal three clubs will be automatically promoted from the Yelo League at the end of this season.

Faisaly can earn 21 points if they win their remaining seven games, meaning they can reach a maximum 65 points.

If Al-Ahli beat Hajer they will go to 65 points, and their goal difference of 15 goals more than Faisaly’s will leave them in an effectively unassailable position.

Al-Ahli Saudi were one of the most competitive teams in the SPL — with three league titles since being ever-present as founding members in the national league since its inception in 1976-77 — before their shock first relegation as 15th-placed finishers in 2021-22.

When Mosimane took over Al-Ahli were struggling in their first campaign in the second tier, wallowing in seventh place after five matches under predecessor Yousef Anbar from two wins, two draws and a defeat.

Under the highly-decorated former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al-Ahly (Cairo) coach Al-Ahli have lost twice in 24 league games, drawing six and winning 16.

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