Roberto Firmino was on the scoresheet as Al-Ahli beat Al-Ettifaq 2-1 on Monday to return to winning ways in the Saudi Pro League.

The victory for Al-Ahli, who saw their five-game winning streak in the league end last week, moves them level on points with Al-Nassr in fourth.

Riyad Mahrez teed up Gabri Veiga to send a first-time finish spinning away from Marek Rodak from 15 yards with half an hour played.

The lively Mahrez had a chance to add a second before half-time after Rodak played himself into trouble, but he could not find the far corner.

Firmino gave the visitors some breathing space, though, when volleying in Saad Yaslam's cross at the back post with 63 minutes played at Abdullah Al Dabil Stadium.

Al-Ettifaq pulled a goal back in the 91st minute through Georginio Wijnaldum's cool finish, but that proved nothing more than a consolation.

Data Debrief: No home comforts for Al-Ettifaq

Al-Ettifaq were playing their 400th Saudi Pro League match – and their 200th on home soil – but they struggled to give their supporters much to cheer until Wijnaldum's late strike.

Instead, Veiga and Firmino earned the points for Al-Ahli, who had failed to win any of their previous three away matches played on a Monday in the competition.

It means Al-Ettifaq, who stay down in 11th, have now won just two of their past 12 matches against Jeddah-based teams in the Pro League, including six without a win against such opponents on home soil.