Ashraf El-Maksabi scored a last-minute penalty to snatch a vital victory for Al-Taawon against visiting Al-Sadaqa, with a score of 2-1, on Friday, in the first round of the second leg matches of Group One in the Libyan Premier League football competition.
The match took place at the 10th of June Stadium in Ajdabiya.
The teams, led by referee Ali Al-Jareh, entered the match with hopes of achieving a positive result to satisfy their fans’ aspirations, particularly Al-Taawon, aiming to advance further towards the top teams, seeking to etch their name among the elite.
Al-Sadaqa came close to surprising their hosts early in the first half when their striker, Mohamed Al-Sharif, squandered a clear chance, as his shot grazed the left post of goalkeeper Emad Ragab.
Meanwhile, Al-Taawon exerted considerable effort in the first half to change the scoreline, achieving their goal at the 44th minute when player Faraj Ghaidan displayed skillful dribbling, maneuvering past Al-Sadaqa’s defense before slotting a left-footed shot into Abdulrahman Al-Mashri’s net.
Al-Sadaqa regrouped in the second half, organizing several attacks from the back, and managed to equalize in the 79th minute through their Sudanese professional, Juan Manu.
However, in the 88th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Al-Taawon, which was converted by Ashraf El-Maksabi, securing his team three crucial points.
With this victory, Al-Taawon’s tally rises to 18 points, propelling them to fourth place, while Al-Sadaqa remains at six points, occupying the ninth position in the league standings.
