Saleh Al Shehri struck from the penalty spot in the 11th minute of time added on as Al Ittihad edged Al Riyadh 2-1 to maintain a four-point lead in the Saudi Pro League.

Moussa Diaby opened the scoring for the pacesetters in the 55th minute with Ibrahim Bayesh drawing Al Riyadh level in the 85th minute.

Just when it seemed like Al Ittihad would have to settle for a fourth consecutive draw, they were awarded a penalty for Ahmad Asiri's handball, with Al Shehri blasting the ball into the top left corner.

Al Hilal SFC stayed four points behind with a 2-0 defeat of Al Taawoun, with Mohammed Kanno (12th) and Marcos Leonardo (75th) scoring to take the four-time Asian champions to 57 points with nine games remaining.

Al Nassr Club moved into third on goal difference after a 3-1 win over Al Kholood, with Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring with his 19th league goal of the season.

Sadio Mane (26th) and Jhon Duran (41st) added to their tally with Al Nassr then reduced to 10 men following Nawaf Boushal's red card in the 56th minute. An Ali Lajami own goal in the 72nd minute served as a consolation for Al Kholood.

Al Qadisiyah dropped to fourth following their 1-0 defeat to Damac.

Zakho stayed just ahead as the Iraq Stars League saw the top three sides pulling clear of the chasing pack after a week of exciting action in the Iraq Stars League.

Zakho stayed ahead of Al Zawraa on goal difference after a 2-1 win over Al Naft, with strikes from Amjad Attwan (42nd, penalty) and Echeta Ugonna Deputy (66th) seeing them overcoming going behind to Ramses Nguimzeu's 27th minute opener.

Al Zawraa are level on 49 points with Zakho after defeating Erbil 4-0, thanks to goals from Aziz Chtioui (34th), Kadhim Raad Mohammed (48th), Ali Muhsen Al Asadi (76th) and Ibrahim Gbadamosi (87th).

Defending champions Al Shorta are two points behind after a 4-0 win over Naft Maysan, with Mohanad Ali netting a hat-trick (32, pen, 53rd, 59th) and Mahmoud Al Mawas scoring the fourth.

Fourth-placed Air Force SC fell further behind after a 1-0 defeat to Al Karkh, with Benjamin Okor scoring the winner in the 45th minute, with the result leaving them on 41 points.

Al Ansar's perfect record came to an end after they were held 1-1 by Safa in a top-of-the-table Lebanese Premier League clash.

The draw meant Al Ansar moved up to 28 points, two ahead of Safa.

Al Ahed capitalised on the top two cancelling each other out to close in within three points of Al Ansar after a 3-1 win over Reyady Abaseya.