Confirmed: Pitso’s Al Ahly Secure Promotion

Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahli Saudi FC have secured promotion to the Saudi Pro League due to an important detail in the rules of the Yelo League, the Saudi Arabian First Division.

The South African tactician guided Al Ahli to a 2-1 win thanks to an injury-time penalty over Hajer Club on Wednesday.

The three points saw Al Ahly go three points clear at the top of the Yelo League, while they also moved 15 points clear of Al-Faisaly in the first non-promotion spot.

While Mosimane’s side only have four games left to play, Al-Faisaly, coached by former Kaizer Chiefs coach, Giovanni Solinas, still have five games outstanding and could theoretically still draw level with Al Ahli.

However, the Yelo League rules state that the head-to-head record is the first tie-breaker when teams end up on equal points on the log. This rule is different from South Africa and many other leagues worldwide, where the overall goal difference is the first tie-breaker

With Al Ahly collecting four points against Al-Faisaly, following a recent 2-2 draw and a 2-1 win in January, Mosimane’s men will stay ahead of Solinas’ side on the log – even in the unthinkable solution that the latter would win all their outstanding games and ‘Jingles’ men would lose their’s.

As a consequence, it’s time to congratulate Mosimane on his latest achievement of “awakening the sleeping giant” Al Ahli.

Mosimane and his technical team – conditioning coach Kabelo Rangoaga, head analyst Musi Matlaba and analyst Kyle Solomon – joined Al Ahli Saudi on 25 September when his team was lying in seventh position after they had been relegated to the First Division for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile, assistant Maahier Davids joined the club a few weeks later to complete the South African dream team on the sidelines of the club.

Al Ahli are one of the four founding members of the Saudi Pro League, along with Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al Nassr, the club Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays for.

They have won nine Saudi Pro League titles and a record 13 King’s Cups.

Image credit: Al Ahli Saudi