Benzema is not enough: Al Dawsari decides it with 20 to go. Milinkovic-Savic and Koulibaly are also on the field, Neymar still out
Goals, comebacks, hat-tricks and a continuous ups and downs of emotions. The Clasico d’Arabia shouldn’t have been a trivial match and it wasn’t. Al Hilal leaves Jeddah by winning 4-3 against Al Ittihad, in a match that lasted more than 100 minutes (with added time) and in which tactics gave way to the initiative of the individuals. Jorge Jesus’ team comeback twice thanks to an amazing Aleksander Mitrovic, author of a hat-trick sealed by countless refined plays. In fact, the former Fulham player takes the whole defense of Al Ittihad for a walk, which in the second half concedes 3 goals in 11 minutes, condemning himself to a surrender that burns a lot. Benzema, bruised, scores with a refined futsal-style winger but that’s not enough. To decide it is Al Dawsari with 20 to go.
Al Ittihad-Al Hilal 3-4
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It is a Clasico with one star out of two. Benzema recovers from his injury and takes charge, while Neymar is still out. On the other hand, Al Hilal finds Milinkovic-Savic back from suspension, with Koulibaly confirmed in defence. The match began at a crazy pace, thanks to the magnificent setting of the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, packed with yellow and black fans. The first 20 minutes of fire and flames: in the 16th minute Romarinho condemned Bono to the first goal conceded in the championship with a very soft lob, on an assist from a revived Hamdallah. Al Ittihad’s joy is choked in the throat after just 4 minutes by the usual Mitrovic, in the deluxe version: wonderful volley and ball at the crossroads. Benzema is a ghost, but in the 38th minute he displays all his class: a low cross from Bamsaud and a winger combing the ball just enough to seal the 2-1. The rhythms are frenetic, Al Hilal plays the game and leans on the centimeters of Milinkovic and Mitrovic. However, the hosts are lethal as never before: in the 53rd minute Hamdallah fixes the 3-1, which seems to definitively steer the match. The guests continue to keep the ball and raise the technical rate of play, with a great Savic. In the 60th minute Mitrovic gives his team a golden token by reopening the head games. Five minutes go by and Al Hilal earns a penalty: the former Fulham player shows up on the penalty spot and doesn’t pay attention to aesthetics and smashes the goal, 3-3! The Al Ittihad is on the ropes and in a doll, while the guests believe it. The match-winner is Salem Al Dawsari, who in the 73rd minute in the split brings down Gedda’s volume, setting the 3-4. Waiting for Al Ahli, Al Hilal hit the coup and moved into first position with 13 points. Cold shower for Benzema and his companions. For sure, the Saudi Pro League already has its match of the year.
THE OTHERS
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Al Fayha didn’t go beyond the 0-0 draw against Al Raed: a missed penalty by Fashion Sakala betrayed. Tatarusanu’s Abha Club fell 1-0 on the Al Tai pitch, while Al Akhdood achieved their first success in the league by winning 1-0 at Al Riyadh.