You think Misa hindering Light wasn't convenient for L? Or L having free reign over the entire world police? L legit built a humongous tower in one night as headquarters, outta nowhere. Multiple highly skilled employees that would do anything he needed, access to a ridiculous amount of money, and the last part him deducing that it had to be Light even though there was only a 5% chance, according to L himself, of Light being guilty. Both had advantages over each other.
Key word almost. He didn't though. Light won. Not only did he beat L, he also removed Rem a shinigami, with Rem saying he surpassed even the shinigami.
This I agree with.