Neymar made his long-awaited debut as Al Hilal claimed a commanding 6-1 victory over Al Riyadh yesterday, catapulting them to the lead of the Saudi Pro League standings.
Al Hilal seized control of the sixth-round game early on, heading into half-time with a comfortable 2-0 lead. Alexander Mitrović converted a penalty kick in the 30th minute and Yasser Al Shahrani found the net in the dying moments of injury time.
The second half showcased Al Hilal’s relentless attack, with Nasser Al Dossari capitalising on a skillful assist from Malcolm, orchestrated by none other than Neymar himself. The former Zenit star Malcolm left an indelible mark on the match by adding another goal to the tally from Neymar’s assist.
Salem Al Dossari further extended Al Hilal’s lead with two successful penalty kicks, and a sensational sixth goal was netted in the 95th minute. Al Riyadh managed to salvage some pride with a late goal in the 96th minute, courtesy of Ali Al Zaq’an.
Neymar’s presence on the field added an extra layer of excitement for fans, following his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain during the recent summer transfer window.
With this commanding victory, Al Hilal rose to the top of the league table with a total of 16 points. Their impressive performance thus far has seen them maintain an unblemished record, comprising five victories and a solitary draw.
In contrast, Al Riyadh find themselves in the 16th position, with four points in total. This defeat marks their fourth loss of the season, though they have managed to secure one win and one draw along the way.
On Thursday, Al Ittihad had temporarily claimed the top spot on league table, thanks to their French captain Karim Benzema, who led them to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over hosts Al Okhdood in the sixth round.
Benzema netted the winning goal in the 72nd minute after receiving a pass from Haroun Kamara and skillfully manoeuvring through Al Okhdood’s defence before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the home team’s net.
Nigerian legend Odion Ighalo scored a hat-trick for Al Wehda in a 4-2 win against Damac.
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