Midfielder Bilyi gave Abdysh-Ata the lead in the ninth minute when he drilled a low shot from 20 yards that rolled into the bottom right just beyond Ibrahim Al Mukhaini’s reach.

Al Mukhaini then blocked a six-yard tap-in from Luccas Barreto minutes later, while his counterpart Sultan Chomoev dived low to his left to push out a close-range strike by Musab Al Maamari, who would go on to rattle the crossbar from 35 yards in the 28th minute.

Chomoev then did well to tip over a 20-yard free-kick from Yousuf Al Malki, and although he parried another set piece from Al Maamari a minute before the break, the custodian could not prevent Al Saadi from pouncing on the rebound and slotting home the equaliser.

Al Shabab came out the more threatening side after the break, with Chomoev saving from Kenean Maleko in the 56th minute, Mohamed Al Ghafri’s goal disallowed for offside a minute later and Al Saadi heading wide from close range in the 68th minute.

Al Ghafri scored the decisive goal in the 77th minute when he collected a lofted pass from Hatem Al Rushadi and sprinted down the centre before rounding an on-rushing Chomoev and firing home into an empty goal.

Al Shabab will take on Altyn Asyr FC of Turkmenistan in their decisive final match on Friday.