Nasr came from behind to score its first win in the new Saudi Premier League season beating Al-Ahli 2-1 at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Sunday. In other matches defending champion Al-Hilal beat Abha 3-0 and Al-Wehdah beat Al-Hazm 2-1. Hassan Al-Raheb put Ahli ahead two minutes into the match. Nasr equalized through Brazilian Elton Jose Xavier in the 58th minute while Benin's international striker Razak Omotoyossi sealed the win for the Riyadh side in the 69th minute from the spot. Both sides came into the match with all guns blazing especially after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) allowed international players to participate in league matches. Hassan Al-Raheb, who moved recently to Ahli from Khaleej, put Ahli of Jeddah ahead after breaking the off-side trap and shooting the ball to the right side of Al-Nasr goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Khawjali. Jufain Al-Bishi almost doubled the lead in the 14th minute when his header hit the right post of Khawjali. Al-Ahli tried to keep Nasr under pressure but the Riyadh club came back into the match midway through the first half thanks to attempts by strikers Saad Al-Harithi and Mohammed Al-Shahrani. Saad Al-Harithi almost scored the equalizer in the 48th minute when the Ahli keeper did well to keep it out. Elton Jose, however, drew level the game ten minutes later when he blasted a 25-yard kick into the left side of Ahli net. Substitute Razak Omotoyossi who moved from Swedish Helsingborg side made it 2-1 for Nasr when he converted a penalty shot. Al-Ahli and Al-Nasr will meet again next month when they clash in the semifinal of the GCC Champions League. Al-Hilal beat the host team Abha 3-0 at the Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Stadium thanks to first-half goals by Abdullah Al-Zori and Fahd Al-Mubarak. International striker Yasser Al-Qahtani sealed the win for Hilal four minutes from time. In Al-Rass, Al-Wehdah beat 10-man Al-Hazm 2-1. Majed Al-Hazazi took the lead for the Makkah side after 20 minutes and Amir Al-Akrout sealed the win after the break. Al-Hazm's only goal was scored by Misfer Al-Bishi in the dying seconds of the game. Matches in the Saudi Premier League are now scheduled for Thursday. The league will then take a three-week break. __
