ALKHOBAR: In 270 minutes of AFC Champions League Elite competition this season, Al-Ittihad had yet to take the lead against any of their opponents. A late equalizer earned them a 1-1 draw against Al-Shamal in their opener, before Shabab Al-Ahli edged them 2-1 in Jeddah on matchday two.

On matchday three, with the score tied at 1-1 against Neftchi Fergana, Youssef En-Nesyri struck precisely on the 90 minute mark to give Al-Ittihad their first lead in the competition this season, and with it, their first victory.

It has not been the start Jens Wissing would have envisioned since arriving at Al-Ittihad in the summer. The German, who was fresh off being crowned AFC Champions League Two champion after beating Al-Nassr with Gamba Osaka last season, led his side to a fine start in the league but has failed to replicate it on the continental stage.

Admittedly, conditions in Fergana were never going to make the match easy on the two-time champions, but the victory propelled them into the top eight — an absolute must for Wissing and Co.

George Ilenikhena has been firing for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League and King Cup but failed to impact the game in his usual dominant style on this occasion. In fact, in the 17th minute, as he attempted to clear a corner, the ball struck his arm, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Jamshid Iskandarov stepped up for Neftchi and converted, despite Predrag Rajkovic getting a hand to it.

Al-Ittihad’s breakthroughs down the right flank were pivotal and ultimately brought the equalizer they were seeking. In the 34th minute, Steven Bergwijn delivered a cross to the far post, where Houssem Aouar leaped over right-back Koffi Kouao to power a header home.

Wissing’s typical substitution of En-Nesyri for Ilenikhena followed at the hour mark, but the Moroccan spent half an hour searching for a clear sight of goal. Then, in the final moments of regular time, Al-Ittihad won a free-kick 25 yards out, and the night became his.

En-Nesyri stood over the ball with the Tigers’ first lead of the competition, and first win, at his feet. He curled it over the wall and into the top corner, leaving the Neftchi goalkeeper rooted, and Al-Ittihad’s bench poured onto the touchline. With the 90th minute on the clock, a campaign that had produced a draw and a defeat finally had its breakthrough.

Back in Jeddah, their neighbors Al-Ahli welcomed Al-Gharafa in a match that ended very similarly. Al-Ahli took the lead in the fourth minute when Ivan Toney was sent through on goal by Eduard Spertsyan and chipped past Ahmed Kone, but Florinel Coman equalized for Al-Gharafa in the 53rd minute after Yacine Brahimi’s introduction brought new energy to the Qatari side’s attack.

Minutes after Seydou Sano was sent off for Al-Gharafa for a second yellow card, Al-Ahli took advantage in the 86th minute, when Matheus Goncalves cut inside from the right flank and unleashed a scorching strike into the far corner for the 2-1 victory.

Elsewhere, Al-Ain kept their perfect start intact and remain top of the West League Stage standings, defeating Iran’s Tractor Sazi 2-1 at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain, thanks to a 70th-minute winner from Houssine Rahimi.