Overview
- Cristiano Ronaldo put Al Nassr ahead before halftime, but Al Hilal replied through a Salem Al Dawsari penalty, a Mohammed Kanno header and a late Rúben Neves spot kick.
- Al Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi was sent off for violent conduct after a clash with Neves shortly after the equaliser, leaving his side with 10 men.
- Returning defender Mohamed Simakan conceded the penalty that brought Al Hilal level as Al Nassr’s winless run stretched to three league defeats.
- The victory marked Al Hilal’s 11th straight league win under Simone Inzaghi and widened the gap at the top, compounding Al Nassr’s slump after a record 10-game winning start.
- Both teams managed AFCON absences, with Al Nassr missing Sadio Mané and Al Hilal without Kalidou Koulibaly and Yassine Bounou; Yahoo Sports reported new signing Pablo Mari made his Al Hilal debut, and separate media reports said Al Nassr’s Bento Krepski agreed a loan move to Genoa with a €9m option.