After registering his first win as Abha Club coach, Pitso Mosimane faces yet another stumbling block in the mould of a former EPL superstar.
Mosimane finds himself under intense pressure to help Abha Club retain their status in the Saudi Pro League.
At this point, the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana tactician needs his men to pick as many points as they can, with 12 matches remaining before the curtain goes down.
So far, he has presided over three matches, with their latest being a 2-0 win over Al Tai. The other two ended in a draw and defeat at the hands of Al Taawoun and Al Feiha respectively.
THE FORMER EPL SUPERSTAR FACING PITSO MOSIMANE
And as they brim with confidence, Mosimane’s charges date Al Ettifaq who are under the tutelage of Steven Gerrard.
Steven Gerrard, a former England and Liverpool star, recently signed a two-year contract extension as head coach of Al Ettifaq.
Gerrard has been at the helm of the fifth-placed team since July 2023. He leads a team that has high-profile players including ex-Liverpool star, Georginio Wijnaldum.
Al Ettifaq have picked 37 points from 22 matches and are 25 points behind leaders Al Hilal. Cameroonian striker Karl Toko Ekambi who left Abha in January is also part of the Al Ettifaq arsenal.
WHAT MOSIMANE NEEDS TO DO
Undoubtedly, Mosimane and his men need to keep their winning momentum going into this one, considering their position.
With 18 points on their tally, Mosimane must be resolute with his men who have struggled for consistency.
Their struggles to hold onto a lead, sometimes, make their fight for survival a complicated affair.
So far they have collected 18 points from 22 matches, a huge far cry from what is expected from them.
As it stands, they are 17th on the table, tied on the same number of points with Al-Tai, though an inferior goal difference. Al-Raed are on 15th place with 20 points.
RELATED STORY: What Mosimane needs to do to survive relegation in Saudi Pro League
