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Al Arabiya
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
SPL Week 26: Al Ittihad extends lead with Derby draw as Ronaldo downs Al Hilal
The Saudi Pro League is now home to some of football's most recognizable names, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang putting the competition on the global football map. Each week, Al Arabiya English brings you the key storylines and highlights in the race for the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League title. In Week 26, Cristiano Ronaldo led Al Nassr to a Riyadh Derby victory against Al Hilal - a result that gave Al Ittihad the chance to move further ahead at the top of the table. Laurent Blanc's league leader nearly threw away that opportunity but Karim Benzema claimed a late 2-2 draw with Al Ahli in the Jeddah Derby to extend the gap between Ittihad and Hilal to five points. Elsewhere, there was also a draw in the Dammam Derby between Al Ettifaq and Al Qadsiah, while Abderrazak Hamdallah took a step towards a Saudi Pro League scoring record. Benzema salvages Derby draw In a dramatic Jeddah Derby, Al Ittihad twice fought back to earn a 2-2 draw against Al Ahli, moving Laurent Blanc's side five points clear in the race for the Saudi Pro League title. Ahli took the lead twice with goals from Roger Ibañez and Ivan Toney, but each time Ittihad responded - first through Moussa Diaby and then, in the game's closing moments, through Karim Benzema. Host Ahli dominated the match but despite twice going ahead, succumbed to the Ittihad captain's late equalizer. Ibañez put Ahli in front just after half-time, meeting Riyad Mahrez's left-wing corner with a powerful header; it was the Brazilian defender's second Pro League goal of the season. Ittihad stayed in the game, however, and French winger Diaby leveled things up for the visitor with a calm low finish after team-mate Fabinho had broken up play in midfield. Ahli went 2-1 up as Ivan Toney capitalized on a rare misstep from N'Golo Kante inside the Ittihad penalty area - diverting the ball home to the joy of most of the 60,000 fans at a packed King Abdullah Sports City. But once again, Ittihad bit back. In the 94th minute, Benzema stole in at the back post to convert Abdulelah Al-Amri's excellent cross. The Frenchman's 17th Pro League of the season could prove a crucial moment in the title race, underscoring his reputation as a decisive player for Blanc's side. Even with shaky recent form, the destination of the title is still firmly in Ittihad's hands, while Ahli is in the midst of its own fight - for either third or fourth place, and with it qualification for Asian competition next season. Ronaldo stars as Nassr wins Riyadh battle Al Nassr secured a significant 3-1 victory over Al Hilal in the Riyadh Derby, with a goal from Ali Al-Hassan and two for Cristiano Ronaldo sealing the win. Al-Hassan opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time with a stunning long-range strike, followed by Ronaldo's powerful finish early in the second half, coming after a pinpoint assist from Sadio Mane. Despite a response from Al Hilal's Ali Al-Bulayhi, whose second-half strike reduced the deficit, Ronaldo put the result beyond doubt in the 88th minute, converting a penalty after Hilal's goal scorer fouled Jhon Duran inside the box. This marked Ronaldo's 30th goal of the season in all competitions and puts Al Nassr clear of Al Qadsiah in third place in the Saudi Pro League table, leaving opponent Hilal with an uphill battle to overcome league leader Al Ittihad. For Ronaldo, this win marked a personal milestone, as it was only his second victory in nine competitive games against Al Hilal. Ronaldo delivered when it mattered most for his team and now has 21 goals in the league - extending his lead in the Golden Boot race. His two-goal performance also propelled him into the Top 10 highest goal scorers in Saudi Pro League history, a remarkable achievement considering he reached 70 goals in just 72 appearances. Qadsiah claims Dammam derby tie Al Qadsiah showed a little bit of tiredness from its midweek King's Cup exploits as it was held to a 1-1 draw by Al Ettifaq in the second Dammam Derby of the season. Qadsiah completed a dramatic late win over Al Raed to reach its first ever King's Cup final on Wednesday and is still also pushing for AFC Champions League Elite qualification through the Saudi Pro League. Back in November, it was Qadsiah that won 2-0 away in the first meeting between the two Eastern rivals in three-and-a-half years; on Saturday, however, the spoils were shared. Qadsiah right-back Mohammed Aboulshamat provided an assist for Julián Quiñones in the first Dammam Derby five months ago but went one better this time, scoring his first ever Saudi Pro League goal. The young right-back reacted quickest as Ettifaq Marek Rodák parried the ball into the penalty area, with Aboulshamat staying calm to finish straight back past the Slovakian shot-stopper on the stroke of half-time. Ettifaq came out in the second half with renewed purpose and on 63 minutes, captain Georginio Wijnaldum headed home Vitinho's left-wing free-kick to level things up. Wijnaldum has been a goalscoring revelation for Ettifaq in recent months; having netted just once in the first 11 games of the season, the Dutch midfielder now has 10 in his last 14 Pro League matches. Saad Al-Shehri's side pushed for a winner but Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels produced a fine save to deny Alvaro Medran, with the 1-1 scoreline seeing the host drop two points behind Al Nassr in the battle for third place. Best of the rest Saviour Godwin lived up to his name for the second successive game as he scored another match-winning goal for Al Akhdoud in a 1-0 victory away at Al Orobah. Godwin struck in the 90th minute to help Akhdoud claim a smash-and-grab win at Al Ahli last week and the Nigerian winger was at it again on Saturday - his first-half goal good enough to lift his side out of the Saudi Pro League relegation zone. Al Raed surrendered a half-time lead to lose 2-1 to Al Khaleej on Sunday and stay rooted to the bottom of the Saudi Pro League table. It completed a miserable week for Al Raed, which was defeated by Al Qadsiah in the King's Cup semi-final on Wednesday and has now lost 11 of its past 13 league matches. Karim El Berkaoui scored his second goal in as many games to put Al Raed ahead in the first-half, but his effort was in vain as Murad Al-Hawsawi equalized before Kostas Fourtounis claimed a 96th-minute winner for Khaleej. Al Taawoun had the perfect preparation for its AFC Champions League 2 semi-final with a 2-0 win at Al Kholood. Taawoun takes on Sharjah on Tuesday for a spot in the final of Asia's secondary club competition and Mohammed Al-Abdali's side warmed up for the biggest game in the club's history with a comfortable 2-0 triumph. Second-half goals from Colombian attacker Roger Martinez and Moroccan midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri handed Taawoun all three points at the expense of Kholood. Elsewhere, Al Riyadh and Damac played out a 0-0 draw in the Saudi capital, as the former stayed four points ahead of the latter in the table, while Al Fayha and Al Fateh also settled for a point each in a 1-1 tie that did little side any favors in their battle to avoid demotion to the Saudi First Division. Fateh, currently in the relegation zone, took the lead through Amine Sbai but Renzo Lopez equalized for the host to deny its opponent a crucial win. Al Shabab striker Abderrazak Hamdallah moved a step closer to usurping Omar Al-Somah as the Saudi Pro League's all-time leading scorer after netting his 147th goal in the competition in his team's 3-1 victory over struggling Al Wehda. Hamdallah's opening strike means he is now just three behind Al Somah on the all-time list and one behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for the 2024-25 Pro League Golden Boot. Craig Goodwin equalized for Wehda in the second-half but further efforts from Mohamed Al Shwirekh and Haroune Camara handed Shabab the win.
Saudi Gazette
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Moussa Diaby hailed Al Ittihad's resilience and squad depth after their dramatic 2-2 draw with Al Ahli in Saturday's Jeddah Derby, emphasizing the importance of securing a point in difficult circumstances as the Roshn Saudi League title race intensifies. The French winger was on the scoresheet in the 74th minute, leveling the match at 1-1 after a composed finish, before watching teammate Karim Benzema rescue a point with a stoppage-time equalizer to preserve Al Ittihad's lead at the top of the standings. 'Today was a really good derby,' Diaby said after the match. 'Both teams played well. We played away, even if it is the same stadium. But yeah, it's not easy to win that kind of game.' Reflecting on the back-and-forth nature of the clash, Diaby underscored the value of securing something from the match, especially against a side of Al Ahli's quality. 'So I'm happy for the draw,' he continued. 'You have to continue like this, because when you cannot win, you have to take maybe one point. So today was good.' The winger also credited the team's collective effort in overcoming the absence of several key players, including goalkeeper Predrag Rajković, full-back Mario Mitaj, and winger Steven Bergwijn.'We know this, that we missed a lot of players,' Diaby said. 'But everything is possible with this team, because we have a lot of potential. Even when some player is not here, with the players on the bench, they have to take the place and play well also.'He added: 'In training, we always push — and this shows for this kind of game.'With eight matches remaining, the club maintains a five-point lead over second-placed Al Hilal and continues to show the grit required for a championship run.
Saudi Gazette
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — A dramatic 94th-minute equalizer from Karim Benzema salvaged a crucial 2-2 draw for Al Ittihad against rivals Al Ahli in a pulsating Jeddah Derby on Saturday night, keeping the league leaders firmly in the Roshn Saudi League title race. The French striker latched onto Abdulelah Al Amri's low cross deep into stoppage time and rifled a shot past Edouard Mendy, marking his 17th goal of the season and sending the Al Ittihad faithful at Alinma Stadium into raptures. The result pushes Al Ittihad to five points clear of second-placed Al Hilal, while Al Nassr, fresh from a Capital Derby win, sit three points further behind. In the third marquee clash of RSL Derby Week, the showdown between Jeddah's cross-city giants lived up to the billing. Al Ahli, hosting the match, took the lead in the 51st minute when Roger Ibanez rose highest to power in a header from a Riyad Mahrez corner. Al Ittihad responded on 74 minutes through a swift transition. After Fabinho dispossessed Franck Kessié, the ball fell to Saleh Al Shehri, who fed Moussa Diaby. The French winger beat Mendy with a low finish between the goalkeeper's legs to make it 1-1. Al Ahli looked to have sealed all three points when, in the 82nd minute, a left-flank break led to an inadvertent touch from N'Golo Kanté that fell kindly for Ivan Toney, who slotted home his 17th goal of an impressive debut season in Saudi Arabia. But Al Ittihad, showing the resilience of title contenders, mounted a final push. Benzema's late equalizer — a composed, high finish — ensured the spoils were shared and that his side maintained momentum at the summit of the league. The draw adds further intrigue to the title run-in. With just a handful of matches remaining, Al Ittihad sits in pole position, though Al Hilal and Al Nassr remain in striking distance. For Al Ahli, currently fifth in the standings, the draw denied them a signature victory, though the performance reinforced their top-four ambitions.
Arab News
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Ronaldo delivers Riyadh Derby glory for Al-Nassr
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to lead Al-Nassr to a 3-1 win over Al-Hilal on Friday and a first Riyadh Derby victory in the Saudi Pro League for over three years. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The Yellows have also put a major dent in the title chances of their local rivals who stay four points behind Al-Ittihad at the top of the table but have now played a game more. It also keeps Al-Nassr's faint championship hopes alive, as they are now seven points behind the leaders with eight games of the season remaining. It was a fierce battle as is always expected in what is one of Asia's biggest matches. but it was a deserved win. While Ronaldo's exploits will take the headlines, the opening goal, which came deep into added time at the end of the first half, was a thing of beauty. Marcelo Brozovic rolled a corner to the edge of the area. The home defence had switched off but there was still a lot of work to do for Ali Al-Hassan. He took one touch and then curled a perfect shot into the top corner to give the visitors the lead in spectacular fashion. Two minutes after the restart and Ronaldo extended Al-Nassr's lead with his 20th league goal of the season. Sadio Mane broke free down the left and pulled the back for his Portuguese team-mate inside the area who then hooked his shot into the net. The away fans, who had endured six winless league games in this fixture, went wild but just after the hour, Al-Hilal were back in it. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic nodded a corner towards the back post and there was Ali Al-Bulaihi to head home from close range. The Blues continued to push forward in search of an equaliser, but three minutes from the end, Ronaldo secured the win. The 40-year-old scored from the spot, straight down the middle of the goal, after a handball was given in the area. That was game over and attention now turns to the Jeddah Derby on Saturday and whether Al-Ittihad can beat Al-Ahli and move seven points clear at the top.
