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Benzema begins his journey with Al-Hilal with a hat-trick against Al-Okhdood

French star Karim Benzema launched his Al-Hilal career in perfect fashion, leading his new team to a resounding 6–0 away victory over Al-Okhdood in the Saudi Pro League, delivering a standout performance crowned by a superb hat-trick, including a sensational back-heel goal that caught the eye of fans and observers alike.

This marked Benzema’s first appearance in Al-Hilal colours just days after “Al-Za’eem” officially announced his signing on a free transfer following the termination of his contract with Al-Ittihad, the reigning champions. The move represents a new chapter in the career of the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, who previously enjoyed a successful spell in Saudi football with Al-Ittihad, guiding them to a historic league and King’s Cup double last season, before opting to take on a fresh challenge with Al-Hilal on an 18-month contract.

Key moments of the match

From the opening minutes, it was clear that Al-Hilal were intent on imposing their style and controlling proceedings, pressing aggressively against Al-Okhdood’s defense and creating several chances. Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute, but the referee ruled the goal out after a VAR review for a foul on Ali Lajami.

Benzema did not wait long to announce himself, opening Al-Hilal’s scoring in the 31st minute in superb fashion, meeting a precise pass from Nasser Al-Dawsari and flicking the ball into the net with an elegant back-heel finish.

Al-Hilal’s dominance continued throughout the first half, with French full-back Theo Hernández missing a chance to double the lead with a powerful effort that drifted just wide of the post, as the team maintained constant pressure in search of further goals amid a relatively passive Al-Okhdood defense.

At the start of the second half, Al-Hilal returned with even greater intensity. Benzema added his second goal in the 60th minute after a sublime assist from Brazilian winger Malcom, before completing his hat-trick just four minutes later following another perfectly weighted pass from captain Salem Al-Dawsari, underlining his immediate impact and match-winning quality from his very first outing.

The attacking onslaught did not stop there. Malcom made it 4–0 in the 70th minute with a goal set up by Benzema, before Salem Al-Dawsari added the fifth in the 75th minute after a brilliant individual run by Malcom down the left flank, which ended with a precise cross finished calmly into the net.

In the closing stages, head coach Simone Inzaghi introduced several young players, giving minutes to rising French talent Simon Boabré alongside Saad Al-Mutairi, in a move aimed at resting key starters. Despite the changes, Al-Hilal’s attacking tempo did not drop, and Salem Al-Dawsari capped the scoring with a sixth goal in the third minute of stoppage time, finishing a counter-attack with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area.

After the match, Benzema expressed his delight with the ideal start to life at Al-Hilal, praising the team’s strong performance and thanking the fans for their tremendous support, stressing that he will give everything to make them happy in every match. Other players also reaffirmed their determination to maintain positive results and keep hold of top spot.

With this victory, Al-Hilal moved to 50 points at the top of the table, three points clear of nearest challengers Al-Ahli, once again confirming that “Al-Za’eem” are firmly determined to reclaim the title, backed by their star-studded squad and high-profile signings. Al-Okhdood, meanwhile, remain on ten points in second-bottom place.

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Benzema begins his journey with Al-Hilal with a hat-trick against Al-Okhdood

Key moments of the match

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