DAMMAM: On an evening where Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr played away games in the Eastern Province, there was only one thing on their minds: secure a win by any means possible.
Their opponents were 12th-placed Al-Fateh and 11th-placed Al-Khaleej, respectively. One would be forgiven for thinking that, despite any difficulties these sides could present, both title contenders effectively had the three points in the bag.
But while the Eastern Province sides had little to play for on paper, one thing that consistently stands out in the Saudi Pro League is how significant a victory against one of the league’s giants can be. It is more than just three points; it provides massive exposure for the club.
Take Al-Ittihad’s defeat to Al-Riyadh earlier this weekend, or go back to Al-Fateh’s 5-1 victory against Al-Ahli two seasons ago, or when Al-Khaleej ended Al-Hilal’s historic unbeaten streak. Clubs will capitalize on the attention that comes with beating one of the Big Four, enjoying record levels of engagement as a result of their efforts on the pitch.
When it came to Al-Fateh and Al-Khaleej on the day, there was a sense that either side could upset the apple cart. It only took two minutes at the Prince Mohammed bin Fahad Stadium for Bento to produce a stunning save to deny Giorgos Masouras, while Al-Fateh capitalized on a lackluster Al-Hilal display early on to raise the pressure on the visitors.
Al-Nassr were without Cristiano Ronaldo — sidelined with an injury for the second consecutive match — and Sadio Mane, with the former’s absence having already caused concern in their most recent outing against Neom. After a series of missed chances by Kingsley Coman, Joao Felix and Abdullah Al-Hamdan, it ultimately took a very late Mohamed Simakan goal to secure the 1-0 victory.
The concerns lingered through the early stages of this match as well, but they eventually gave way to a dominant display from the visitors. Al-Hamdan found the net, Aiman Yahya made his mark and Felix finally ended a goal drought of 14 league games with a brace — a stark contrast to the frustrating Neom fixture.
Was it the pressure of playing at home? Was it the sudden Ronaldo injury? Or perhaps Al-Fayha’s ability to keep Al-Nassr scoreless for 80 minutes two weeks ago? Whatever it may be, Al-Nassr made a clear statement against Al-Khaleej: their strength lies in the collective, not in individual stars. Thirteen consecutive league victories now underline that point.
It took half an hour for the league leaders to find their rhythm. Al-Hamdan opened the scoring after capitalizing on a mistake inside the box from Ahmed Asiri to fire past Anthony Moris. The second half, though, is when Al-Nassr truly shifted gears.
In the 54th minute, Angelo completed one of his trademark surging runs towards the box before unleashing a shot at Moris. The Luxembourgian parried the ball away, only for it to fall to Yahya, who powerfully struck to double their lead.
From there, the match became the Felix show. The Portuguese forward increased his league tally to 15 goals after striking twice in the space of six minutes.
In the 73rd minute, Al-Nassr worked the ball smoothly around the Al-Khaleej defense before Al-Hamdan’s header found Felix inside the six-yard box, allowing him to slip the ball past Moris. In the 79th, Angelo slipped a pass into the box for Felix, who flicked the ball onto his left foot before finishing to complete his brace.
Angelo capped a superb performance with a crisp finish in stoppage time after an assist from Felix, sealing a dominant 5-0 victory for Al-Nassr.
In Al-Hasa, meanwhile, Al-Hilal’s first 45 minutes left fans frustrated. Despite coming into the game undefeated this season, seven draws have led supporters to question Simone Inzaghi’s position. Pundits have debated whether Al-Hilal’s style of play truly aligns with the Italian coach’s system, with inconsistent results since the turn of the year seeing them slip from top spot.
Whatever was said in the half-time team talk appeared to have an immediate impact. Within minutes of the restart, Al-Hilal took the lead. Mohammed Kanno continued his productive season with a dipping cross towards Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who headed home the opener.
A start like that would often lead to Al-Hilal cruising to victory, once the pressure had been lifted. However, the front three of Malcom, Salem Al-Dawsari and Karim Benzema endured one of their quietest nights of the season, with eight combined attempts yielding nothing further for the visitors.
Yassine Bounou’s saves proved crucial in preserving the lead, but the final moments of the match descended into chaos. As Kalidou Koulibaly tried to clear the ball with the last kick of the game, Mourad Batna appeared to have been clipped in the process.
The referee immediately pointed to the spot in what would have been one of the most controversial decisions of the season. Al-Hilal players quickly surrounded the official, demanding a VAR review. Inzaghi was booked for his reaction as the travelling supporters waited anxiously.
After consulting VAR, the referee rescinded his decision. The Al-Hilal fans erupted in relief as the final whistle confirmed a vital victory.
The Saudi Pro League will now pause for 20 days due to the international break. Action returns on April 3 for Matchday 27, with the title race expected to remain wide open until the final weeks of the season. Al-Nassr remain top on 67 points, with Al-Hilal close behind on 64. Al-Ahli are third on 62 points, while Al-Qadsiah are fourth with 60.
