In the highlight match of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League, held in a celebratory atmosphere to mark the "Foundation Day Round," Al-Hilal was held to a 1-1 draw by its traditional rival, Al-Ittihad. The match took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, with a large crowd of 22,264 fans in attendance. This result saw Al-Hilal lose its top spot in the standings to its direct competitor, Al-Nassr.
Details and events of the Saudi Clasico
The match began strongly for the home side, Al-Hilal, who quickly established control and translated their dominance into a goal in the fifth minute through their Brazilian star, Malcom, following a decisive pass from Salem Al-Dawsari. Just minutes later, Al-Ittihad's hopes suffered a major blow when their defender, Hassan Kadash, was sent off in the ninth minute after a reckless challenge, forcing the team to play the remainder of the match with ten men. Despite being a man down, Al-Ittihad's players showed great resilience, organizing their defense and relying on counter-attacks.
Historical context and the importance of confrontation
The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Ittihad match is known as the "Saudi Clasico," representing one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in the history of Saudi and Asian football. This encounter brings together two giants from Riyadh and Jeddah, and always garners exceptional media and fan attention due to the historic rivalry between the two clubs for titles and championships. This season, the match has taken on a global dimension with the presence of top stars on both teams, placing the Saudi Professional League in the international spotlight.
Impact of the result on the title race
In the second half, Al-Ittihad surprised everyone with a heroic performance, managing to equalize in the 53rd minute with a perfectly placed header after a superb cross, bringing the game back to square one. Al-Hilal then tried to press hard to score the winning goal, taking advantage of their numerical advantage, but they were met by a well-organized defense and a brilliant performance from Al-Ittihad's goalkeeper, who made several crucial saves. With this draw, Al-Hilal raised their points tally to 54, dropping to second place, one point behind Al-Nassr, who seized the top spot after their victory in the same round. Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad increased their points to 38, strengthening their hold on sixth place. This draw is considered a significant morale booster for the team, given the difficult circumstances they faced during the match.
Al-Hilal's loss of two valuable points at this crucial stage of the season ignites the competition for the Roshan League title, and makes the remaining rounds open to all possibilities, promising fans more excitement and suspense in the strongest edition of the Saudi Professional League.
