Al Hilal continue their dominance and add Al Nassr to their list of victims

Al Hilal continued to assert their dominance over the Saudi Pro League, emerging victorious from a thrilling top-of-the-table clash against traditional rivals Al Nassr with a 3–1 win in a match full of dramatic twists, through which the “Blue Wave” further strengthened their grip on the top spot.

The encounter was intense from the opening minutes, as both sides approached the match with caution, before it quickly evolved into an open and hard-fought battle in midfield. Al Hilal applied early pressure and came close to opening the scoring when a low cross from Frenchman Theo Hernández failed to find a finishing touch inside the penalty area. Salem Al Dawsari also had a dangerous chance in the 17th minute after a perfectly weighted long pass put him through one-on-one with goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi, but his effort sailed over the bar.

At the other end, Al Nassr gradually grew into the game and began to pose a clear threat to the goal of Mohammed Al Rubaie. “Al Alami” went close through an Ayman Yahya cross that was tipped away by the goalkeeper’s fingertips, before French winger Kingsley Coman continued his fine display with a solo run and a low shot that Al Rubaie saved with difficulty. That pressure paid off in the 42nd minute, when Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo capitalized on a precise cross from Coman — who himself had received a superb long ball from fellow Portuguese João Félix — to slot the ball into the net and raise his tally to 15 goals at the top of the league’s scoring charts.

At the start of the second half, Al Hilal appeared more determined to get back on level terms. Portuguese midfielder Rúben Neves almost did so with a direct free kick in the 49th minute, before Hilal’s attacks intensified. The pressure eventually resulted in a penalty in the 55th minute after French defender Mohamed Simakan brought down Brazilian winger Malcom inside the box. Salem Al Dawsari converted confidently to equalize.

The major turning point of the match came in the 60th minute, when the referee showed a straight red card to goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi following a collision with Neves outside the area of play, after consulting the video assistant referee. The dismissal disrupted Al Nassr’s plans, forcing them to play more than half an hour with ten men.

Al Hilal duly made the most of their numerical advantage, maintaining sustained pressure until they found the second goal in the 81st minute through Mohammed Kanno, who reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the box after Al Nassr’s defense failed to clear their lines. Deep into stoppage time, Hilal sealed their superiority with a third goal, as Neves converted a second penalty after Ali Al Hassan fouled Salem Al Dawsari.

With this victory, Al Hilal raised their tally to 38 points, extending their lead over second-placed Al Nassr to seven points, while also recording their eleventh consecutive league win.

In contrast, Al Nassr’s recent slump continued, having collected just one point from their last four matches, following a historic start to the season that saw them win their opening ten league fixtures.