RIYADH: Al-Hilal could manage only a 2-2 draw against Al-Taawoun at Kingdom Arena on Saturday night to close the gap on Al-Nassr at the top of the table to five points, although they will rue the two dropped points that give the leaders a major boost in their quest for the Saudi Pro League title.
Al-Hilal are second on 65 points from 27 matches after their Riyadh city rivals had extended their lead at the top of the standing to six with a 5-2 thrashing of Al-Najma on Friday. Al-Taawoun are fifth with 46 points from the same number of matches.
The home team took the lead two minutes before the break through 18-year-old French forward Mohamed Meite, who finished off some brilliant wing play with a stinging shot that Taawoun goalkeeper Mailson got a hand to but could not keep out. The first half finished with Al-Hilal in the ascendancy.
But Simone Inzaghi’s team could not carry any momentum into the early stages of the second half and were stunned by a double strike from Andrei Girotto in the 55th and 67th minutes. Al-Hilal were facing a defeat that could do lasting damage to their title hopes.
They were spared that fate thanks to a 77th minute equalizer form Marcos Leonardo, but their failure to complete the comeback would have felt like a defeat at the final whistle.
In Jeddah, AFC Champions League holders Al-Ahli maintained their title hopes with a comfortable 3-0 win over Damac. The home team took a third-minute lead thanks to Dhari Al-Anazi’s own goal before Ivan Toney tapped in Galeno’s fine cross from the left only eight minutes later. It was the English forward’s 26th SPL goal of the season.
With less than 10 minutes elapsed, the contest already looked all but over for Damac, but Al-Ahli could not add to the score during the rest of the first half.
Al-Ahli finally got an expected third on 56 when Toney set up Matheus Goncalves to scramble an untidy finish past fellow Brazilian Kewin in Damac’s goal.
The win means Al-Ahli stay third, five points behind leaders Al-Nassr and behind second-placed Al-Hilal only on goal difference. Damac, on 22 points, are in 17th place just outside the relegation spots.
Earlier of Saturday, Neom defeated Al-Fayha 1-0 thanks to Uruguayan forward Luciano Rodriguez’s 74th minute goal. The win saw them leapfrog Al-Fayha into eighth place in the table.
