Al Taawoun Keep Al Hilal in Third Place in the Saudi Pro League

Al Taawoun snatched a valuable point from their clash against visiting Al Hilal after holding them to a 1-1 draw in the Saudi Pro League.

The result did not serve the visitors’ interests, as it denied them the chance to reclaim top spot, even temporarily, and kept the title race wide open as the season approaches its decisive stages.

Key Moments of the Match:

Al Hilal entered the match fully aware that any further slip-up would complicate their title ambitions, especially after surrendering top spot in the previous round following a draw against Al Ittihad. From the opening minutes, it was clear that Simone Inzaghi’s men were determined to settle matters early, pushing forward aggressively in search of a quick goal to avoid any surprises, particularly as Al Taawoun had suffered just two home defeats in their previous 12 matches, highlighting their strength in front of their supporters.

Al Hilal did not take long to threaten, as French defender Theo Hernández fired a powerful shot in the second minute that narrowly cleared the crossbar. The pressure continued, and Sergej Milinković-Savić nearly converted the dominance into an opener in the 22nd minute when his well-struck free-kick from the edge of the box struck the right post. The Serbian midfielder remained a constant threat, later dribbling past two defenders inside the area before sending a close-range effort over the bar.

After several attempts, Al Hilal finally found the breakthrough just before half-time. The referee awarded a penalty following a VAR review that confirmed Hernández had been fouled inside the area. Portuguese midfielder Rúben Neves stepped up and confidently converted in the 42nd minute, giving Al Hilal the lead.

However, Al Taawoun refused to back down and equalised in first-half stoppage time through a penalty of their own, also awarded after a VAR review. Colombian forward Roger Martínez converted from the spot to level the score.

In the second half, Al Hilal sought to regain control and nearly restored their lead when Kalidou Koulibaly met a corner with a powerful header, only for Brazilian goalkeeper Mailson to produce a fine save. The hosts responded swiftly, with Moataz Al-Mufarrij rising to meet a cross, his header striking the crossbar ten minutes after the restart.

As the match progressed, Al Hilal intensified their attacking efforts in pursuit of a winning goal, keen to avoid a third draw in their last five matches, a run that could dent their title hopes. However, they lacked sharpness in front of goal, particularly in the absence of injured French striker Karim Benzema, which affected their finishing despite relative control of possession.

Neves attempted a long-range effort just after the hour mark, while Milinković-Savić and Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo saw their attempts drift narrowly wide. In the closing moments, captain Salem Al-Dawsari squandered a golden opportunity after failing to control a pass that would have left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

With the draw, Al Hilal moved to 55 points from 23 matches in third place, level on goal difference with second-placed Al Nassr and one point behind leaders Al Ahli. Al Taawoun, meanwhile, climbed to 40 points in fifth place. Al Hilal could fall four points behind the summit if Al Nassr defeat Al Najma in the final fixture of the round.