Al Hilal Winning Streak Broken By Al Riyadh Draw

For the first time since September, Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal found themselves walking off the pitch without all three points, as their remarkable 13-game winning streak came to a sudden halt in a tense 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Al-Riyadh at Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium on January 25, 2026.

Coming into the match, Al-Hilal, managed by Simone Inzaghi, were riding a wave of dominance. The Blue Wave had not dropped a single league point since the early autumn, cementing their place at the summit of the table and looking every bit the unstoppable force. Their opponents, Al-Riyadh, meanwhile, languished in 16th place, fighting tooth and nail to stay afloat in the top flight. On paper, this clash seemed little more than a formality. But football, as ever, had other ideas.

From the opening whistle, Al-Hilal asserted their authority, controlling possession and dictating the tempo. The visitors’ crisp passing and relentless pressing penned Al-Riyadh back deep in their own half. The breakthrough seemed inevitable, and it arrived in the 26th minute. Marcos Leonardo, the Brazilian forward who has been in sparkling form, pounced on an opening, tucking the ball home with composure. The goal initially raised some eyebrows for a possible offside, but after a quick VAR review, the referee confirmed Leonardo had timed his run perfectly. Al-Hilal were in front, and the away bench erupted in celebration.

"The move opens up the defense, and he makes no mistake with a composed finish, sending the away bench into celebration," noted live match coverage. Leonardo’s strike, his only shot of the match, was clinical, and carried an expected goals (xG) value of 0.79, underlining just how clear-cut the chance was.

Al-Hilal continued to press, with Darwin Nunez particularly lively up front, registering three attempts, though only one forced a save from the Al-Riyadh goalkeeper. The visitors’ dominance was reflected in the numbers: 13 shots and 1.67 expected goals, according to post-match data. Yet for all their control, the Pro League leaders could not extend their advantage before halftime, with Al-Riyadh’s defense—marshaled by a determined back line—holding firm.

The hosts, meanwhile, struggled to muster much in attack during the first half, rarely threatening Inzaghi’s men. A yellow card for Al-Hilal’s Pablo Mari in the 30th minute was the only real blemish on an otherwise assured performance from the league leaders through the opening 45 minutes.

As the second half began, Al-Hilal looked to pick up where they left off, probing for a second goal to kill off the contest. But football’s unpredictability soon reared its head. In the 58th minute, Al-Riyadh won a corner, and Toze whipped in a teasing delivery. The ball fell kindly to Ibrahim Bayesh, who reacted quickest to bundle it over the line. It was a scrappy, opportunistic finish—Al-Riyadh’s final shot of the match—but it was enough to send the home crowd into raptures and level the score at 1-1.

"Ibrahim Bayesh finds the breakthrough and brings the hosts right back into it. The move catches Al Hilal off guard, and Bayesh finishes confidently to spark wild celebrations in the stands," reported the live blog. Suddenly, the momentum had shifted. Al-Hilal, so comfortable until then, were now faced with a renewed challenge as Al-Riyadh grew in belief and dug deep to protect their precious point.

Inzaghi responded with a double substitution in the 68th minute, introducing Kaio and the influential Salem Al-Dawsari in a bid to inject fresh energy and attacking impetus. The visitors threw everything forward, piling on the pressure as the clock ticked down. Al-Dawsari came agonizingly close to restoring Al-Hilal’s lead, rattling the woodwork with a powerful effort that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Moments later, the ball was in the back of the net again for Al-Hilal, but celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside—a decision confirmed by VAR.

Al-Riyadh’s defensive resolve was tested further in the closing stages. With the match entering stoppage time, drama ensued. Marzouq Tambakti, already on a yellow, committed a late foul and was shown a second yellow card, reducing the hosts to ten men for the final frenetic minutes. The home side, now facing wave after wave of Al-Hilal attacks, retreated even deeper.

Despite relentless pressure, Al-Hilal could not find a way through. Darwin Nunez, frustrated by a disciplined Al-Riyadh backline, saw his efforts blocked or drift wide. The final whistle brought a mixture of relief and jubilation for the home fans, who knew just how valuable this point could be in their battle against relegation.

For Al-Riyadh, this result felt almost like a victory. "This will be a point that very much feels like three for 16th-place Al-Riyadh, who had just four attempts, but they managed to find an equaliser in scrappy fashion and then held out against a wave of pressure," remarked an Omnisport analyst. The statistics told the story: Al-Hilal dominated with 13 shots and controlled possession, but Al-Riyadh’s defensive discipline and sheer determination saw them through a tense finale.

On the flip side, for Al-Hilal and Simone Inzaghi, this was a frustrating evening. While they remain clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League, dropping points for only the third time all season is a reminder that even the most dominant teams are not invincible. Their expected goals tally of 1.67 suggested they created enough to win, but the quality of their chances—averaging just 0.12 xG per shot outside of Leonardo’s goal—pointed to a lack of clear-cut opportunities.

As the dust settles, Al-Hilal’s remarkable run has ended, but their title challenge remains firmly on track. Al-Riyadh, meanwhile, will take enormous confidence from this result as they continue their fight for survival. With the season entering its decisive stages, both teams know there is still all to play for.

For now, the Saudi Pro League’s storylines only get more intriguing. Can Al-Hilal bounce back and reassert their dominance, or will this slip open the door for their rivals? And for Al-Riyadh, could this hard-earned point prove the turning point in their battle against the drop? One thing’s for sure—after a night of drama in Riyadh, the league is alive with possibilities.