The Libyan midfielder struck three minutes before the break to guarantee a top-two finish in Group A whilst ending Saba Battery’s own qualification hopes.

The hosts dominated possession in the opening exchanges and fashioned a good chance in just the third minute when Shic Rezaei pounced upon a rebound inside the area but sent his shot over the bar.

Rezaei was proving problematic for the Al Hilal defence and he again had another chance after 11 minutes when Saba were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area but the defender again failed to hit the target.

Despite the hosts’ enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Al Hilal warned they were capable of attacking on the break as Mohammed Al Anbar sprung the offside trap in the 19th minute and broke into the area only to send his shot into the side netting.

Chances for either side dried up after that, however, as much of the play was contested in the middle of the park but Al Hilal twice had good chances in quick succession towards the end of the first-half when Abdulla Al Zori fired wide before Mohammed Al Shalhoub forced a save from Saba goalkeeper Almir Tolja.

Al Hilal broke the deadlock shortly before the break when they were awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal and El Taib stepped up to strike an effort that took a slight deflection off the Saba wall on it’s way into the top corner of the net.

Saba were visibly shaken by that strike and were second best all over the park after that as Al Hilal took control after the restart.

However, they nearly gifted Saba an equaliser just before the hour mark when Mohammad Al Deayea failed to get a hand to a cross and the ball struck Fahad Al Mefarej to deflect towards goal but the Saudi defender quickly recovered to clear the ball off the line.

Al Hilal recovered from that close shave, however, and almost added a second after 74 minutes with the lively El Taib proving the architect as he smartly passed for second-half substitute Ahmed Al Suwailh but his shot was well saved by Toja.

Al Suwailh came even closer two minutes later when Christian Wilhelmsson crossed for the burly striker, who smashed a shot against the crossbar.

But that proved to be the last notable chance for either side as Al Hilal controlled the closing stages to secure the three points.