Karim Benzema left it late, but gave Al-Ittihad a 2-1 win at Al-Taawoun on Thursday that sent the Tigers three points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League.
The Frenchman’s 95th-minute strike means that Al-Ittihad now lead Al-Hilal, although the Riyadh giants have a game in hand.
Al-Ittihad’s in-form Abdulrahman Al-Oboud put the visitors ahead after 21 minutes, pouncing quickly on a rebound.
Coach Laurent Blanc thought he was taking his team back into the dressing room at the break with a lead, but 10 minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Musa Barrow equalized for the Buraidah club.
Faycal Fajr floated over a corner from the left that found Barrow unmarked at the far side of the area. His low volley took a deflection from Danilo Pereira to go past Predrag Rajkovic and into the back of the net.
The nine-time champions then poured forward in an attempt to get the win, but it proved to be a frustrating second half with a penalty decision overturned by VAR and the woodwork intervening.
However, five minutes into added time, Benzema grabbed his 14th goal of the season to move just one goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the standings.
Houssem Aouar burst free through the middle and then slipped a clever pass into the left side of the area for the former Real Madrid marksman to send a left-footed first-time shot into the back of the net and send the traveling fans into raptures. It was a dramatic end to the game and perhaps a crucial one in the title race.
Al-Hilal will go back into pole position if they beat Damac on Saturday.
