DUBAI: Al-Riyadh defeated Al-Taawoun 2-1 on Saturday night at the SHG Arena in capital as the in the Saudi Professional League season’s 11th round concluded.

Al-Riyadh took a 2-0 lead with goals from French winger Teddy Okou and Ghanaian midfielder Bernard Mensah, in the 39th and 76th minutes, respectively. Al-Taawoun's lone goal came from Albanian playmaker Nedim Bajrami in the 78th minute.

The win was Al-Riyadh's first against Al-Taawoun in the league since 2015, ending a run of three matches in which they lost the first two and drew the last.

The Riyadh-based team has now achieved three SPL wins this season, having previously defeated Neom and Al-Kholood, while suffering four defeats and three draws. The result leaves Al-Riyadh 11th in the SPL table with 12 points, on goal difference behind Al-Kholood in ninth place and Al-Khaleej in 10th. Al-Taawoun remain winless this season, and are 17th in the table with only four points.

Earlier in the day Neom  beat Abha 2-0 at home to stay sixth in the SPL standings with 19 points. The home team’s goals came from Said Benrahma after 15 minutes and Alexandre Lacazette five minutes after the break. Abha remain bottom of the table with two points.

In Saturday’s other match, Al-Ettifaq won 3-0 at Al-Kholood thanks to two goals from Khalid Al-Ghannam and one from Bersant Celina. The win leaves them seventh in the table with 18 points, while Al-Kholood dropped to ninth with 12 points.