Al Ittihad edge closer to Saudi Pro League title with last-gasp winner over Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr

Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema celebrates after seeing his side grab a last-gasp win at Al Nassr. Reuters

Houssem Aouar scored a last-minute goal to help Al Ittihad complete a comeback and secure a 3-2 win over Al Nassr, taking them a step closer to clinching the Saudi Pro League title.

With the clock ticking down, the league leaders showed the kind of fighting spirit that has defined their season to claim all three points at Al Awwal Park on Wednesday.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring for the home side after three minutes with a low shot, with barely three minutes on the clock.

The Senegal international then assisted Ayman Yahya to make it 2-0 for Al Nassr in the 37th minute. The goal stood following a VAR review, even though the ball had touched Mane’s hand in the build-up.

Al Ittihad were the better side after the interval and Karim Benzema reduced the deficit with a header in the 49th minute.

Laurent Blanc's side equalised after a counter-attack, finished off by N'Golo Kante who slotted the ball into Al Nassr's net.

Algeria international Aouar scored the winner in added time from close range following a cross by Moussa Diaby, who was shown a red card after the final whistle for his part in a post-match melee.

“Our secret is we are a team with a lot of personality," said match-winner Aouar. "We did a very, very big game, especially the second half.

“The first half was too shy. We played too shy, not as a team, not as a champion team. Then we showed that we have a lot of personality.”

With four games to go, Ittihad are six points clear of closest rivals Al Hilal, who remain second following a wild night at Al Raed in which a Salem Al Dawsari hat-trick saw them run out 5-3 winners.

A second top-flight trophy in three seasons feels closer than ever for the Jeddah club, who could clinch a domestic double when they contest the King's Cup final at the end of this month.

Former Real Madrid and France striker Benzema registered his 19th league goal of the campaign to move him joint-third in the SPL scoring charts alongside Abderrazak Hamdallah and Julian Quinones.

“Our captain, he leads us a lot,” Aouar said. “Beginning of the second half, we scored two goals - this gave us hope.

“And then, yes, like I say, we never give up from the beginning of the season. We score a lot of goals in the money-time. Today, again, so Alhamdulillah.”

For Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, now fourth with 60 points, the defeat was a setback to their hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League Elite next season, with only two teams qualifying from the league after Al Ahli won the continental title last Saturday.