JEDDAH — Cameroonian forward Christian Bassogog shattered the celebrations of thousands of Al-Ittihad fans at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, netting a dramatic last-minute equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw for Al-Okhdood in their Saudi Pro League Round 23 clash. Al-Ittihad seemed poised for victory after Hassam Aouar's goal in the 39th minute gave them a crucial lead, setting them on course to extend their advantage over second-placed Al-Hilal in the title race. However, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Bassogog struck with a thunderous strike following a corner, silencing the home crowd and denying Al-Ittihad a crucial win. With the draw, Al-Ittihad remains atop the league standings with 57 points, holding a six-point lead over Al-Hilal. Meanwhile, Al-Okhdood stays in the relegation zone, sitting in 17th place with 17 points. Al-Okhdood started the match strongly, testing Al-Ittihad's defense before the hosts gradually gained control. Karim Benzema missed a golden opportunity in the 37th minute before Aouar finally broke the deadlock with a precise low finish from the left side of the box. Al-Okhdood responded in the dying moments of the first half with a header from Naif Asiri that rattled the crossbar. The second half saw both teams exchange possession, with Al-Ittihad missing several chances to double their lead. As the match entered stoppage time, Al-Okhdood earned a late corner, which led to Bassogog's stunning long-range strike, leaving the home supporters in disbelief. In another late drama-filled clash, Al-Qadsiah edged Al-Riyadh 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal from Abdulaziz Al-Othman. The hosts took full advantage of their numerical superiority after Al-Riyadh's striker Mohamed Konate was sent off in the 63rd minute. Al-Qadsiah now sits third in the league table with 50 points, while Al-Riyadh remains in ninth place with 30 points. Meanwhile, Al-Ettifaq salvaged a last-minute draw against Al-Raed, thanks to a 99th-minute equalizer from Abdullah Al-Khateeb. The hosts had taken the lead in the 64th minute through Mathias Normann but failed to hold on in the closing moments. Al-Ettifaq now stands in seventh place with 32 points, while Al-Raed remains 16th with 18 points.
