Aubameyang praises Al Qadsiah relentlessness as they stun Al Nassr | OneFootball

Sadio Mane struck with six minutes remaining, and Al Nassr seemed set to keep at bay Al Qadsiah in the race for a top-three finish.

Momentum had swung for the away side at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium on Friday night, the Roshn Saudi League’s third-placed team imbued suddenly with the sense they could go on and win. Thus, they would draw to within five points of Al Ittihad at the summit.

For Al Qadsiah, who had led from the 35th minute when Turki Al Ammar pounced on a rebound to convert, they must’ve thought, with six rounds remaining after this, if they’d ever have another chance to rein in Al Nassr in the standings.

However, three minutes after Mane made it 1-1, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck to snatch a 2-1 triumph for the hosts. The Gabon striker, a standout in his debut season in the RSL, leapt above two Al Nassr defenders to meet Nahitan Nandez’s looped pass and head into the visitors’ net.

With it, Al Qadsiah had a vital victory. Although still fifth in the table, they hauled themselves to two points from Al Nassr in third. The promoted club’s never-say-die attitude won through once more.

Asked afterwards if he thought the three points had gone once Mane equalised, a beaming Aubameyang replied: “No. When we play at home, you have to know that there is always in the last minute that something can happen - and this is what happened.”

What happened, too, is that Al Qadsiah jolted their chances of that top-three finish. Indeed, that would represent a remarkable result upon their first season back in the RSL in four years.

Aubameyang, their match winner, acknowledged the importance of the victory.

“Happy to win this game tonight,” he smiled. “It was very important to stay level with Al Nassr, so this is a good result for all the people that came today. Very happy.”