Al Hilal moved back to the top of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday after a 3-2 win over Al Ittihad at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. All three of the club’s new forwards from the Premier League found the net in the Saudi Clasico. The result puts Al Hilal two points clear of the chasing pack and gives them an early advantage in the title race.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring after 11 minutes before Youssef En-Nesyri brought Al Ittihad level. Ollie Watkins put Al Hilal back in front on the half hour, and Crysencio Summerville made it 3-1 shortly after the hour mark. Steven Bergwijn converted a late penalty for Al Ittihad, but the visitors could not find an equaliser. Al Hilal held on through the closing stages to take the points in what both sides treated as one of the defining fixtures of the early season.
The three scorers were among the most expensive signings of the Saudi summer window. Al Hilal paid $70 million to Arsenal for Martinelli, $60 million to Aston Villa for Watkins and $80 million to West Ham for Summerville, a combined outlay of $210 million on attacking players. All three goals came against one of the division’s leading sides, in a match billed as a meeting of title contenders.
Watkins could have had a second goal, but it was ruled out for handball, a call The National described as questionable. The England striker said he believed he had scored a second time but accepted it had been a difficult decision, and said he would not comment further. He said the importance of the fixture was clear: “It was a top-of-the-table clash.” He added that training could not replace the intensity of a competitive match played at full strength.
Al Qadsiah are second and Al Nassr third, both two points behind the leaders. Al Nassr had won 3-0 against Diriyah on Friday night, with Cristiano Ronaldo among the scorers, to keep pace with the leaders before the Clasico. Al Hilal now turn to the AFC Champions League Elite, where several Saudi clubs, including Al Ahli, Al Qadsiah and Al Nassr, have continental fixtures this week. The league programme is also being reviewed match by match after Sunday’s game between Abha and Al Faisaly was postponed over security concerns.
