A tactical draw in the Roshan League summit
The highly anticipated derby between Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli ended in a goalless draw at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, in a key match of the 20th round of the Saudi Professional League. In a night of intense football anticipation, and before a packed crowd of 23,632 spectators, neither team could find the net despite several chances, leaving them to share the points in the heated battle for the top spot.
Historical background of the Saudi football classic
The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Ahli match is considered one of the most prestigious and intense fixtures in Saudi football history, representing a footballing summit between two of the Kingdom's biggest clubs. Historically, their encounters have been characterized by fierce rivalry and intense competition for domestic and continental titles. With the significant growth of the Saudi Professional League and the influx of international stars, this classic match has taken on a new dimension, becoming a focal point for fans worldwide to witness stars like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Kalidou Koulibaly in Al-Hilal's ranks, and Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessie, and Edouard Mendy in Al-Ahli's squad, thus significantly raising the match's technical and marketing value.
Match events and missed opportunities
The match saw the debut of young French striker Mohamed Ali-Chou with Al-Hilal, who joined the team just a day before the game from French club Stade Rennais on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Al-Hilal dominated possession in the first half and launched an early attack. They nearly opened the scoring with a powerful header from Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Ivorian Franck Kessie intervened at the last moment to clear the ball off the line (11). Al-Hilal threatened Al-Ahli's goal again with a powerful free kick from Sergej Savic, but it went just over the crossbar (21). This was followed by a powerful shot from Mitrovic, which was saved by the outstanding Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy at the second attempt (24). Al-Ahli tried to surprise Al-Hilal with counter-attacks, and they had a chance through Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin, whose shot went over the bar (29). Before the end of the half, Al-Ahli almost snatched a goal, but Senegalese Kalidou Coulibaly made a crucial intervention, intercepting the ball at the perfect moment (36).
In the second half, the excitement and competitiveness between the two teams continued, with Al-Ahli holding a slight advantage as they tried to increase their attacking pressure. Algerian star Riyad Mahrez unleashed a powerful shot that went just wide of the post (67'). Al-Ahli then squandered their best chance of the match when Brazilian defender Roger Ibañez followed up a corner kick but inexplicably headed it wide of the empty net (76'). In the final minutes, tensions rose, leading to the referee showing a red card to Al-Ahli defender Ali Majrashi after he received his second yellow card, leaving his team to finish the match with ten men.
Impact of the result on the title race
With this result, Al-Hilal maintained their lead in the Roshan League standings with 47 points, but the gap with second-placed Al-Nassr narrowed to just one point, intensifying the title race in the upcoming rounds. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli increased their tally to 44 points, strengthening their hold on third place, but falling slightly behind the leading duo. This draw underscores the fierce competition in the league this season, where every point has become crucial in the marathon race for the most coveted domestic title.
