RIYADH — Al-Hilal reinforced their top position in the Saudi Pro League with an impressive 4-1 victory against Al-Wehda on Matchweek 16 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The match saw Al-Hilal assert their dominance, even with key players missing from their lineup.
The Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo kicked off the scoring early, netting the first goal just seven minutes in. Leonardo capitalized on the moment when Al-Wehda goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Owaishir spilled a shot from Ruben Neves. Leonardo reacted quickly, poking the ball home from close range, marking the start of what would become another challenging day for Al-Wehda.
Four minutes later, the score increased to 2-0. Salem Al-Dawsari maneuvered the ball to Mohamed Kanno, who then passed it to Malcom, standing at the edge of the six-yard box. Malcom struck decisively, showcasing Al-Hilal's attacking prowess. Following their blistering start, the fans anticipated more goals, but Al-Wehda tightened their defense and limited the scoreline’s escalation.
Malcom turned up again late in the match, scoring his second goal to make it 3-0 with only eight minutes remaining, demonstrating his excellent form. Although Al-Wehda managed to pull one back through Australian Craig Goodwin’s header during stoppage time, substitute Abdullah Al-Hamdan sealed the outcome by scoring Al-Hilal's fourth goal, ensuring the 4-1 scoreline stood strong.
Following this match, Al-Hilal's points tally soared to 43, placing them three points clear of second-placed Al-Ittihad, who were scheduled to play Al-Shabab later Wednesday. Meanwhile, Al-Wehda remains deep within the relegation mire, fighting to salvage their campaign with their points frozen at 12, leaving them only one place above the relegation zone and without a victory for several weeks.
Earlier the same day, Al-Nassr played against Al-Khaleej, triumphing with a 3-1 score. After entering halftime goalless, Al-Khaleej's fortunes worsened when Saeed Al-Hamsal saw red, leaving his team down to ten men. Cristiano Ronaldo then opened the scoring for Al-Nassr midway through the second half with his impressive strike from the edge of the box, marking his 100th goal contribution for the club.
Al-Khaleej equalized with ten minutes left on the clock via Kostas Fortounis’s penalty, but Al-Nassr quickly restored their lead thanks to Sultan Al-Ghannam. Ronaldo capped off the match with his 13th goal of the season during the eighth minute of added time, slipping the ball home after receiving an unselfish pass from teammate Saad Haqawi.
The win places Al-Nassr solidly as they move above Al-Qadsiah, securing third place, but they remain 11 points adrift of their rivals. Ronaldo’s continued success has placed him at the top of the league’s scoring leaderboard, surpassing other stars like Aleksandar Mitrovic and Karim Benzema.
Despite grappling with injuries to pivotal players such as Aleksandar Mitrović and the late withdrawal of Serbian star Sergej Milinković-Savić for Al-Hilal, the team demonstrated resiliency and depth. Coach Jorge Jesus’s strategy allowed them to capitalize on early scoring opportunities, instantly establishing control over their matchup.
With Al-Hilal establishing their lead at the top of the standings, the competition remains fierce. Will Al-Ittihad close the gap, or will Al-Hilal maintain their solid grip on the league? And how will Al-Wehda navigate their challenging path as the relegation battle looms?