Ahli took a big step toward the semifinal round of the Prince Fasial Bin Fahd Cup after a 2-1 victory over its home rival Al-Ittihad at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium here Saturday. Two goals from Brazilian Fal Beano secured the win in the first half before Aqeel Al-Qarni reduced the margin shortly after the break. Al-Ahli is now on top of Group A with 19 points and needs one point from its remaining match against Al-Watani to book a place in the last four. Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal from Group B have secured their passage to the pre-final round where the first from each group plays with the second placed team in the opposite group. Saturday's evening match ended Al-Ittihad's hope to reach the semifinals as it stayed in the fifth spot on ten points. Al-Ahli's Serbian coach Nipocha Moscovitch set the team with all guns blazing, including players from his first team squad. Sixteen minutes after the kick off, Beano broke the deadlock for Ahli as he shot from about 20 yards to the left side of Ittihad goalkeeper Ali Al-Maziadi. Al-Ahli continued its domination until Beano added his second goal after his header hit the left post and found its way to Al-Ittihad's net in the 29th minute. After the break, Al-Ittihad coach made changes in the midfield aiming to reduce his rival's pressure. In the 62nd minute, substitute Ahmed Al-Solami sent a cross to unmarked Al-Qarni who blasted the ball into the net of Abdullah Al-Ma'uof of Al-Ahli. Al-Ittihad tried hard to draw level but the defensive tactics of Nipocha killed Al-Ittihad's attempts for an equalizer. On Sunday, Al-Nasr hosts Al-Watani in Riyadh While Al-Wehdah plays Al-Taei at the King Abdul Aziz City in Makkah. Al-Nasr which is second in Group A needs all the three points to book a place in the last four. In Group B, Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal which have already qualified to the semifinals play Al-Hazm and Al-Ittifaq respectively to decide the group leader. Al-Shabab tops the group with 20 points, two points ahead of Al-Hilal. In another match of the same group, Al-Qadissiyah hosts Najran in an in consequential match as both sides lost the chance to qualify to the second stage. __
