A sending-off that ended in a goal: a strange act that eliminates Al-Ahli's goalkeeper from the clasico against Al-Shabab

Al-Ahli goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi was sent off in the mini Clasico against Al-Shabab in the Saudi Roshn League, and it was down to a bizarre moment of madness.

Al-Ahli made the trip to face Al-Shabab on Friday at the SHG Arena in the Saudi capital Riyadh, in the twelfth round of Roshn League fixtures.

Trouble arrived in the 23rd minute. Al-Shabab striker Ricardo Mathias broke clear towards Al-Sanbi's goal from the centre of the pitch, drawing the Al-Ahli goalkeeper off his line.

The Brazilian struck the ball straight at goal. Al-Sanbi tried to stop it with his hand despite being well outside the penalty area, and the referee had no choice but to brandish the red card.

Al-Sanbi's dismissal left Dutch coach Marino Pusic in a real bind, not least because he had left Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy out of his substitutes.

Short on options, Pusic threw on young goalkeeper Abdullah Abdo at the expense of defender Rayan Hamed, the man who had gifted Brazilian striker Ricardo Mathias the opening goal.

Abdo's first touch was a disaster. He conceded Al-Ahli's second through Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco, who buried the free kick awarded for Al-Sanbi's fatal mistake.