On an exciting football night in the city of Tabuk, Al-Hilal continued its impressive winning streak, proving once again its champion's character, as it managed to turn its deficit by one goal against its host, Neom, into a valuable 2-1 victory, as part of the sixteenth round of the Saudi Professional League.
The Leader's Character and the Challenges of the Roshan League
This match comes amidst an exceptional Saudi League season, which has captured global attention thanks to international interest and fierce competition. Al-Hilal, the most decorated club in Asia, is the toughest opponent, always striving to maintain its unbeaten record. Meanwhile, NEOM represents an ambitious sporting project reflecting the tremendous development in the Kingdom's northern region, giving the match a unique character that blends historical significance with future aspirations.
First half details: Neom's superiority and Al-Rubaie's resilience
Returning to the match held at King Khalid Sports City Stadium, Al-Hilal dominated possession initially, but the home side proved more clinical. Neom nearly opened the scoring early on, but goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Rubaie made a brilliant save from Algerian Said Benrahma's shot in the 20th minute. Then, in the 23rd minute, the post came to the goalkeeper's rescue, deflecting a shot from Serbian Savic.
Despite Al-Hilal's efforts through Uruguayan Darwin Núñez and Brazilian Malcom, Neom's goalkeeper Luis Maximiano was equal to the task. Minutes before the end of the first half, specifically in the 42nd minute, Neom snatched the lead with a well-placed header from Mohammed Al-Breik, ending the first half with the home side ahead, much to the astonishment of the visitors.
Al-Hilal's comeback in the second half
Al-Hilal entered the second half with a "win or bust" mentality, and the response was swift. In the 49th minute, international defender Hassan Tambakti equalized, capitalizing on a perfectly executed corner kick. The "Leaders" continued their relentless attacking pressure, with the post denying a header from Frenchman Theo Hernandez, and goalkeeper Maximiano continuing his impressive performance against shots from Malcom and Nunez.
The turning point came in the 66th minute, when the referee awarded a penalty kick to Al-Hilal, which was taken by the Portuguese expert Ruben Neves, who placed the ball powerfully to the left of the goalkeeper, to announce the lead of the Blues.
The two teams' positions in the standings
With this hard-fought and well-deserved victory, Al-Hilal increased their points tally to 41, maintaining their sole lead at the top of the table and widening the gap with their closest rivals, thus strengthening their chances of retaining the league title. On the other hand, Neom's points remained at 20, dropping them to tenth place, which presents the team with significant challenges in the upcoming rounds as they strive to improve their position and move away from the relegation zone in the middle of the standings.
