When Roberto Firmino scored in Al-Ahli’s Saudi Pro League loss against Al-Akhdoud in August, he broke his goal drought.

аfter аl-аҺkԀоuԀ ҺаԀ tаken tҺe leаԀ twιce ιn tҺe fιrst fоrty-tҺree mιnutes, Fιrmιnо tιeԀ tҺe gаme аt 2-2 wιtҺ а penаlty kιck ιn fιrst-Һаlf stоppаge tιme. ιn tҺe enԀ, аl-аkҺԀоuԀ’s gоаl by LeаnԀre Tаwаmbа 14 mιnutes ιntо tҺe secоnԀ Һаlf cаuseԀ аl-аҺlι tо suffer tҺeιr fιrst leаgue lоss sιnce оctоber 27.Firmino, a 111-goal scorer for Liverpool, scored three goals on his Saudi Pro League debut in August and was leading his new team before he was abruptly benched following a loss to league leaders Al-Hilal in late October. The 32-year-old Brazilian had not scored since his debut at that point, and it had been 18 matches without a goal when he finally found the scoresheet against Al Akhdoud on Friday when football resumed after the winter break. The majority of those outings since October have been as substitutes; Al-Akhdoud’s game marked his first league start since he was cut four months prior.Firmino has been consistently left off of the starting eleven in recent months, thus former Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie has taken up the Al-Ahli armband. However, Firmino’s opportunity to make his first start in months was made possible by the Ivory Coast international’s absence following his victory at the Africa Cup of Nations. Al-Ahli’s defeat on Friday drops them to third position, 16 points behind the lead held by Al-Hilal, making it doubtful that they can win the Saudi Pro League for the first time since 2018. But with a five-point lead over Al-Taawoun in fourth place, they have a good chance of finishing in the top three and qualifying for the AFC Champions League the next season after moving up from the second division.