Al-Khazem and Al-Shabab played out a 1-1 draw in the Pro-League's fourth round at Al-Khazem Club Stadium on Saturday. The hosts took the lead through R. B. Martinez Tobinson in the 48th minute before A. Pululu equalised from the spot in the 90th. It was a result that kept both sides within touching distance of each other in the table.
Al-Khazem looked the more dangerous side for much of the first half but could not find a breakthrough until after the break. Martinez Tobinson made a run into the box and finished clinically to put the visitors ahead. By then they had already been ahead on expected goals, though you would not have known from the scoreline.
The second half brought more drama. Pululu was brought down in the area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. He converted his chance to salvage a point for his side. And here's the thing about penalties — they come at the end when legs are tired and concentration wavers.
Al-Khazem paid a heavy price for their frustration. Dhari Al-Enezi picked up two bookings in five minutes before collecting a red card in the 90th-plus-seven minute. It left the hosts with ten men as the game wound down. The incident went to review, but there was little doubt about the sending-off.
Al-Shabab controlled possession at 55 per cent and created more clear-cut opportunities. They registered six shots on target compared to four, and their expected goals total stood at 1.54 against 1.02 for the hosts. Yet shots on target tell only half the story — and here's the thing, one mistake ends it.
The result keeps Al-Khazem in 10th place with four points from four games, while Al-Shabab remain 13th on three points. Both sides have three draws between them across their opening four matches. The hosts had lost three of their last five before this draw, while the visitors had won just one of their previous five outings.
