Al Shorta’s strategy of taking the game to their opponents saw Mohanad Ali  try an audacious long-range effort from the right side of the box, which was comfortably collected by Al Ahli Saudi keeper Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.

The Iraqi outfit tried again in the third minute with Hussein Ali delivering a precise through ball to Mohammed Dawood, whose effort drew a brilliant save from Al Sanbi.

Ameer Sabah came close again for Al Shorta in the ninth minute when his long-range effort narrowly missed the target, while Al Ahli Saudi’s Ibanez blew his chance to score from close range when he steered Mahrez’s cross just over the bar.

The hosts finally came good in the 14th minute after Ziyad Al Johani sent a well-timed cross to Firmino, who scored with a glancing header over Al Shorta keeper Ahmed Basil.

Al Shorta were given a lifeline in the 25th minute after Salomon Bindjeme II’s foul on Gabri Veiga, only for Franck Kessie to see his spot-kick saved by Al Sanbi.

However, the visitors drew level four minutes later after Dawood combined well with Veiga before feeding Sajjad Jasim, who rounded Al Sanbi and finished with aplomb.

That set off a wave of Al Ahli Saudi attacks with Ali Majrashi’s effort leaving Basil scrambling across his line with the ball narrowly missing the right post while Firmino should have scored eight minutes into first half stoppage time when Kessie sent a deep ball into the box for the Brazilian, who showed composure with his first touch before sending the ball agonisingly wide.

Firmino, however, made amends two minutes later when Al Brikan muscled his way into the box before supplying the cross for the midfielder to blast home from close range.

Al Ahli Saudi turned up the tempo in the second half with Firmino turning provider eight minutes after the restart for Al Brikan to slot home with a simple finish.

Al Shorta crumbled under pressure as Mahrez showed individual brilliance by scoring twice in quick succession with the first coming in the 61st minute after finishing off Al Brikan’s set-up, before the Algerian scored off Ziyad Al Johani’s cutback.

Both sides will face teams from the United Arab Emirates next, with Al Ahli Saudi to play’ Al Ain while Al Shorta will target a first win when they meet Al Wasl.