Greetings and a very warm welcome to everyone. We will bring you the build-up to and live updates from all three games in the Saudi Pro League tonight, including the big-ticket Al-Nassr vs Al-Ittihad clash later. Watch this space.
Greetings and a very warm welcome to everyone. We will bring you the build-up to and live updates from all three games in the Saudi Pro League tonight, including the big-ticket Al-Nassr vs Al-Ittihad clash later. Watch this space.
Here's how Al-Raed and Al-Hilal line up ahead of kick-off at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium:
And here is how Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Taawoun line up ahead of their clash at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium:
The first game of today's Saudi Pro League fixtures has kicked off. Al-Raed attacking from left to right and Al-Hilal from right to left in the first half.
Over at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, the Al-Ahli Saudi vs Al-Taawoun game has gotten underway. Before kick-off, the visitors display top-notch sportsmanship by giving a guard of honour to Al-Ahli, who were recently crowned Asian club champions. Video below:
Al-Ahli Saudi take the lead against Al-Taawoun in the 10th minute. Centre back Mohammed Sulaiman Mohammed Bakor finds the back of the net to assert the hosts' dominance early.
Al-Hilal go ahead, too, in their face-off against Al-Raed. It is Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic who puts the tourists in front with a calm finish from close range in the 32nd minute. A defeat tonight could put Al-Raed in danger of relegation.
Al-Hilal have another! It's captain Salem Adawsari this time, who pounces on a rebound after a setpiece, pile-driving it cleanly into the far corner of the Al-Raed goal. Can the hosts come back from here?
Al-Raed pull one back, courtesy a spectacular finish from Karim El Berkaoui at the stroke of half-time. Al-Hilal still have a one-goal advantage, going into the mid-game interval. Over at Al-Ahli Saudi, the hosts have doubled their lead with Ivan Toney's strike and are in charge against Al-Taawoun.
Even as Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal are in action in the second halves of their respective games, their title rivals Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad are gearing up for kick-off, which is at 11:30pm IST. The big news is that captain Cristiano Ronaldo is indeed starting for Al-Nassr. Here's how the teams line up:
Salem Adawsari at the double! The Al-Hilal skipper slots home calmly in the 59th minute to put the visitors two goals up again. Al-Raed surely have their task cut out now.
Hat-trick for Salem Aldawsari! Al-Hilal continue to coast with their captain at the forefront, and he notched up a superb third goal, weaving through the Al-Raed defence and striking an elegant right-footer into the far corner. Al-Hilal now just having fun.
The star-studded clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad gets underway at Al-Awwal Park. The hosts attacking from right to left and they score in the second minute! It's Sadio Mane who strikes from his left foot, pouncing on a weak clearance. Al-Nassr go ahead 1-0.
The first game of the night ends with a 5-3 win for Al-Hilal over Al-Raed. The hosts did pull one goal back deep into stoppage time via Saleh Al-Amri's penalty, but only altered the margin of victory, not the result. Hilal get to 65 points from 30 games and are currently second in the standings.
The second game of the night also ends with an expected result, as Asian club champions Al-Ahli Saudi register a comfortable 2-0 victory over Al-Taawoun thanks to first-half goals from Mohammed Sulaiman Mohammed Bakor and Ivan Toney. Al-Ahli are now third in the standings with 61 points, though that could change if Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad tonight.
Al-Nassr double their lead! Sadio Mane is at the heart of it all again, this time turning provider eventually for Ayman Yahya, who slots it in in the 37th minute to bring the hosts in pole position for victory tonight. Al-Ittihad's position at the summit suddenly doesn't appear as strong as it did, an hour back.
The scoreline stays at 2-0 in the favour of Al-Nassr, going into the mid-game interval. Al-Ittihad haven't been able to express themselves fully in the final third so far and it's been all Al-Nassr when it comes to chances. But the league leaders could well change that in the second half.
The two sets of players are back from the mid-game interval. Al-Nassr now attacking from left to right, and Al-Ittihad from right to left. The visitors will look to press harder in the Nassr half, while also being watchful for potential penetrations in theirs. A tough task indeed, but that's what separates the champions from the rest.
Just as we speak about the challenge in front of them, Al-Ittihad score! It's that man Karim Benzema who puts the visitors back in the game with a powerful header in the 49th minute. Al-Nassr still lead by one goal.
They draw level! Al-Ittihad couldn't have asked for a better start to the second half. Barely two minutes after Karim Benzema's strike, it is N'Golo Kante on target and the Al-Nassr goal is breached again. Seven minutes into the second half and we are back on level terms.
Al-Nassr midfielder Ali Alhassan is shown the yellow card for a rough challenge on N'Golo Kante in the 61st minute. Five minutes, Alhassan is subbed out in favour of Abdullah Al-Khaibari.
Cristiano Ronaldo is brought down inside the Al-Ittihad box and he instantly appeals for a penalty. The VAR check is applied but no penalty awarded, and Al-Nassr get a corner instead. Nothing comes of it, and the game is still levelled up with the minutes ticking by.
Al-Ittihad pull off a last-gasp winner out of nowhere. Houssem Aouar finds the back of the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento's rebound of his first attempt falls kindly to the midfielder and he slots it in to propel Al-Ittihad to a thrilling 3-2 win over Al-Nassr.
After threatening to win for large parts of the game, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have slumped to a 2-3 defeat and thus remain fourth in the Saudi Pro League with 60 points. Al-Ahli Saudi are third with 61 points, Al-Hilal second with 65 and toppers Al-Ittihad have extended their lead to six points with this win.
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