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Al Arabiya
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
SPL Week 28: Al Hilal back in title race after Al Ittihad stunned by Al Fateh
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 28, Al Ittihad slipped up after falling to a shock defeat to Al Fateh, with the result enabling reigning champion Al Hilal to close the gap with the league leader to five points. Behind Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, the race for third place is hotting up after Al Qadsiah beat Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and Al Ahli hit five past Al Fayha. Al Ittihad suffers shock Al Fateh loss This season's rollercoaster Saudi Pro League title race took another twist as Al Ittihad stumbled to a surprise 2-0 defeat away to Al Fateh. Laurent Blanc's side had opened up a seven-point lead over rival Al Hilal last week but this disappointing defeat in al-Ahsa reduced the deficit back down to four, with six matches of the campaign remaining. For Jose Gomes' Al Fateh, it was an impressive third win in four games. Despite Al Ittihad recording 71 percent possession to Al Fateh's 29 percent, it was the host that was able to finish when it mattered most. It took Al Fateh just nine minutes to take the lead as Mourad Batna pulled the ball back to French winger Amine Sbaï, who thrashed the ball past goalkeeper Mohammed al-Mahasneh. Sbaï has exploded into life in recent weeks and the opener against Al Ittihad was his fourth goal in his past five games – having failed to score in his first 15 matches of the season. Al Fateh had the chance to double its advantage before half-time after defender Hassan Kadesh fouled Batna inside the penalty area. Batna dusted himself down to successfully convert the penalty but it was immediately disallowed after a replay showed he had – unusually – touched the ball twice to score after slipping. Al Ittihad then squandered a penalty of its own as Fabinho's effort from 12 yards was saved by Nawaf al-Aqidi, who is on loan at Al Fateh from Al Nassr. Al Ittihad had a goal ruled out in the second half after captain Karim Benzema was adjudged to be offside by a matter of millimeters. And from the resulting free-kick, Fateh grabbed its crucial second as a long put upfield from was latched on to by Matias Vargas, who kept his cool to race clear and slot home. It was the in-form Argentina winger's fifth goal in four matches. Al-Dawsari double puts Al Hilal back in hunt Al Hilal took full advantage of Al Ittihad's shock slip-up as a comfortable 3-0 victory over Al Khaleej at the Kingdom Arena moved Jorge Jesus' team to within four points of its title rival. Captain Salem al-Dawsari was his side's hero with a well-taken brace as Al Hilal put a frustrating couple of weeks – including a Riyadh Derby defeat and draw with Al Ettifaq last time out – behind it to storm back into the title race. It was Al Khaleej that ended Al Hilal's 551-day Pro League unbeaten run four months ago but al-Dawsari helped dish up a dose of revenge for that defeat. The Saudi Arabia national team captain scored first for Al Hilal – which had dominated Al Khaleej from the start – as he fired home from a tight angle on the left-side of the penalty area, following some good interplay with Brazilian winger Kaio César. Al Khaleej stayed resolutely in the game as goalkeeper Raed Ozaybi produced a series of excellent saves to keep Al Hilal out. But al-Dawsari eventually doubled his tally, and Al Hilal's lead, in the 84th minute, picking up Mitrovic's incisive pass before finishing smartly with his left-foot. There was still time for Mitrovic to add his own name to the scoresheet, too, as the Serbia striker sprung the Al Khaleej offside trap to score his 14th of the season and first in five weeks. Next up for reigning champion Hilal is Al Shabab, with Al Ittihad taking on Al Ettifaq. Al Qadsiah quashes Al Nassr title hopes A decent run of recent form in recent weeks – including a morale-boosting Riyadh Derby victory over Al Hilal – had appeared to propel Al Nassr back into the Saudi Pro League title picture. But a damaging 2-1 defeat to Al Qadsiah on Friday all but ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Co's hopes of winning the championship. The loss leaves Nassr eight points behind leader Al Ittihad, with Stefano Pioli's side now likely to switch its focus entirely to the AFC Champions League Elite. Al Qadsiah went ahead in the first half in Dammam through Turki al-Ammar, who stole in at the back post to tap-in from close range after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's shot was saved by Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento. In the second half, Koen Casteels produced a superb point-blank stop to deny Jhon Duran, but Sadio Mane succeeded where his team-mate failed by grabbing an equalizer in the 84th-minute. The Senegal international coolly slipped the ball under Casteels after a neat through-ball from Otavio. Three minutes later, however, Aubameyang snatched a dramatic winner – capitalizing on a mistake from Bento to head into an empty net for his 15th goal in all competitions this season. The victory ended a frustrating run of results for Al Qadsiah, which hadn't won in the Saudi Pro League since March 1 – a series of four games that saw Michel's side draw two and lose two to relinquish third place in the table to Al Nassr. There is now an intriguing battle afoot for third place, with Al Nassr currently on 57 points while Al Ahli and Al Qadsiah – chasing its first ACL Elite qualification and also a maiden King's Cup triumph – are just two further back on 55 points. Best of the rest A brace each from striker Ivan Toney and defender Roger Ibañez helped Al Ahli to a 5-0 thrashing of Al Fayha in Jeddah. Al Ahli, which is playing in the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals next week, raced into a 3-0 lead before half-time as Brazilian center-back Ibañez struck twice. Ex-Brentford forward Toney added a third in first-half stoppage time before netting Al Ahli's fourth with a 68th-minute penalty. Toney's double moved him into third place in the race for the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot – just one goal behind Abderrazak Hamadallah and four off current leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. Riyad Mahrez completed the rout with Al Ahli's fifth. Al Raed recorded only its second Saudi Pro League victory since November, ending a two-month winless run in style with a 4-0 dismantling of Al Orboah. All four goals were scored in a 12-minute period either side of half-time as Karim El Berkaoui put Al Raed ahead in first-half stoppage time, before Mehdi Abeid, Amir Sayoud and Yousri Bouzok added further strikes. The win kept the visitor's hopes of Pro League survival alive, though Krešimir Režić's side is still five points off 15th place, which is now occupied by Al Wehda after it leapfrogged Al Orobah. Al Wehda moved out of the relegation zone, after demonstrating more ruthless finishing than opponent Al Taawoun. Al Wehda only managed three shots on target in the whole game, but converted two of them as a goal in each half from Abdulaziz Noor and Yahya al-Najei secured a valuable 2-0 win in Buraidah. It completed a miserable week for host Al Taawoun, which was eliminated from the AFC Champions League 2 at the semi-final stage midweek by UAE outfit Al Sharjah. Elsewhere, a pair of first-half penalties from Georges-Kevin N'Koudou inspired Damac to a 3-1 victory at Al Kholood. Damac had won just one of its previous 10 league games going into the contest, but N'Koudou twice kept his cool from 12 yards to give Damac a 2-0 half-time lead – the Cameroon winger's first goals since February 1. Myziane Maolida reduced the deficit for Al Kholood shortly after half-time before Damac captain Nicolae Stanciu grabbed his team's crucial third goal. Al Ettifaq's impressive recent form continued as it beat Al Riyadh 1-0 in Dammam to move up to seventh in the table. Vitinho's 59th-minute penalty proved the difference between the two teams. Finally, Al Shabab and Al Akhdoud shared an uneventful 0-0 draw that did the latter slightly more favors than the former. The single point kept Al Akhdoud just a point adrift of safety in its bid to avoid demotion to the Saudi First Division.
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
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
‘Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win
RIYADH — After leading Al Nassr to a statement 3-1 victory over Al Hilal in the Riyadh Derby, Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to shift the spotlight from personal achievements to team success, reiterating his focus on titles rather than the looming 1,000-goal milestone. The 40-year-old superstar scored twice — a clinical left-footed strike and a composed late penalty — to reach 21 goals in the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League, consolidating his lead in the Golden Boot race and moving his career total to 931 goals. His brace also marked his first goals in the RSL against Al Hilal, helping Al Nassr earn their first league win over their capital rivals in seven encounters. Despite the historic performance, Ronaldo preferred to relish the moment with his teammates rather than speculate on the possibility of reaching four figures in career goals. 'Guys, let's enjoy the moment, the present,' Ronaldo said post-match. 'I'm not following 1,000 [goals]. If it's yes, perfect. If it's not, it's not. The moment is the most special thing, not what is going to come, you know?' 'I enjoy the moment. It was a great win, not because I scored — of course, I'm happy to score two goals against Al Hilal — but the most important thing is to win the derby.' Ronaldo acknowledged the quality of Al Hilal, calling them a 'fantastic team,' and praised Al Nassr's performance under pressure away from home. 'We have to appreciate [the win] and we have to continue, because nine games are left and one more in the [AFC] Champions League. Everything is possible. We have to continue and believe.' Ronaldo's brace keeps him four goals clear at the top of the RSL scoring charts, ahead of Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al Shabab) and Marcos Leonardo (Al Hilal), with Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad) and Ivan Toney (Al Ahli) trailing closely. Al Nassr's derby win sees them remain third in the table on 54 points, now just one point behind Al Hilal and seven off leaders Al Ittihad, injecting new life into a three-way title race as the league enters its final stretch. With a crucial AFC Champions League Elite quarter-final in Jeddah later this month, the timing of the victory could prove pivotal for momentum. Still, Ronaldo remains cautious. 'To be honest, I don't know because football sometimes is crazy,' he said. 'But we have to do our job, we have to carry on, believe. Because, as I said before: in football, everything is possible.' 'I hope this victory gives a lot of confidence to the team because we need it for the next games and the Champions League as well. And enjoy the moment.' — SG
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.
Arab News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
'Incredible feeling': Saudi Women's Premier League glory vindicates Boussaha's Al-Nassr move
AUSTRALIA: While Al-Nassr's men's team have found success hard to come by in recent seasons, their women's team have had no such issues, last week clinching their third straight Saudi Women's Premier League title. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport With the league itself, the first professional league of its type in the Kingdom, only three years old, it means Al-Nassr remain the only side to win the competition since its formation back in 2022. 'It's an incredible feeling,' star midfielder Lina Boussaha told Arab News after a 3-1 win over their nearest title rivals, Al-Ahli, secured their third straight title. 'Winning one title is special, but winning three in a row is a testament to the consistency and belief within the team. This season was challenging in its own way, but we stayed focused, and lifting the trophy again is a moment of immense pride for all of us.' They haven't just won the league either, they've dominated it. In the almost three full seasons since the league began, Al-Nassr have played 44 games. Remarkably, they've won 39 of them and lost just two. And this season they are on track for the perfect 'golden' season. Sixteen games into the season they are not only yet to taste defeat, they are yet to drop a single point — 16 games played, 16 games won. With the league title already in their pocket and just two games remaining — including one against Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal — the perfect season is within touching distance. 'The motivation is high, we always want to push our limits and set new standards,' Boussaha openly admitted. 'Winning every game is not easy, but we've come this far, and we want to finish strong. It's not just about results, but about maintaining our identity and showing what this team is capable of. Writing the history. 'Getting a golden league doesn't happen often, we want that.' Given their success to date, and not just this season, but across the entirety of the league's existence, it'd be folly to back against them. What sets Al-Nassr apart, according to Boussaha, is their never-say-die attitude. 'Each season has its own story, but this one was unique because of the challenges we faced,' the Algerian international explained. 'In the first five or six games, we had to come from behind multiple times, including an incredible remontada.' That came in Round 5 in a Riyadh Derby against Al Shabab, who had shot to a 3-0 lead by the hour mark, and had Al-Nassr staring defeat straight in the eyes. But a remarkable turnaround, spearheaded by Boussaha, who scored two goals in as many minutes to reduce the deficit, saw Al-Nassr score four goals in the final 25 minutes of the game to run out 4-3 victors. There were other moments, too. They trailed Al-Amal 1-0 before goals in the 88th and 91st minutes secured a 2-1 win in Round 3. Against Al-Qadsiah a week earlier, they also came from a goal down, albeit in less dramatic fashion, to win 2-1. While in Round 6, just a week after their win over Al-Shabab, Boussaha inspired another comeback, this time against Al-Ittihad as they came from a goal down to win 3-1. 'Those moments built our strength as a team, reinforced our confidence, and showed everyone our resilience,' the 26-year-old said. 'It proved that beating us isn't easy, even when we're under pressure or dominated. Overcoming those situations helped us for the rest of the season and gave us the mentality to push through the second half even stronger.' She continued: 'After three seasons working together, we've become like a family, sisters, and we fight for each other on and off the pitch. Collectively, we know our potential, and we don't want to miss out on any opportunity or game. 'As champions, we have high goals and standards, which means we always have to show up and give double or even triple the effort. 'Personally, when we're losing, I know that giving up is not an option. I have to finish the game exhausted, knowing I gave everything like it was my last match, whether we're losing, drawing, or winning. That mindset drives me and the team to push beyond our limits.' Boussaha, a French-born Algerian international, has been one of the headline names in the league since its inception. That she is in the league at all is only down to circumstance after France banned players from wearing the hijab in sporting competitions. Not willing to forego her identity, Boussaha, a graduate of the PSG academy and a former PSG player, begrudgingly walked away from the professional game in France. An opportunity to play in a new league in Saudi Arabia, where she could remain true to her identity, was an offer she couldn't walk away from. 'Honestly, I didn't have any expectations before coming here,' she said. 'I had very little information about the league, the level, or the players. I tried to gather details, but since the league had just been created, it wasn't easy. 'My decision to come was first and foremost because of my hijab, I missed playing football, and I knew that in France, it wouldn't be possible anymore while wearing it.' Three years on she has zero regrets, having seen the fledgling league boom in that time. 'Since I first arrived, there's been a huge gap between then and now,' she explained. 'The league wasn't well-known, we didn't have superstar players, and the games weren't even broadcast. There was very little information available on social media, and it was still in its early stages. 'Then, suddenly, everything boomed. The league became more competitive and attractive, with top players and big names joining. The social media presence and marketing are now even better than in some famous leagues. The Saudi players and national teams have progressed technically and mentally. 'The investment in facilities, field, sponsorships and infrastructures in some clubs, has taken things to another level and honestly, it's really enjoyable to play in this league now.'
