In a thrilling and unexpected football match, Al-Riyadh (historically known as the Central School) managed to halt the winning streak of their fierce rivals, Al-Hilal, in the mini-Riyadh derby, securing a 1-1 draw in their match in the 18th round of the Saudi Professional League. This draw was more than just a passing result; it intensified the competition at the top of the table and forced the chasing clubs to reassess their strategies.
Riyadh derby details: Tactical resilience and excitement until the end
At Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium in the capital, Al-Hilal entered the match with their sights set on the three points to widen the gap, and indeed they translated their early dominance into an early goal by their star Marcos Leonardo in the 26th minute. However, Al-Riyadh displayed a tight defensive organization and a high fighting spirit, which culminated in the second half with an equalizer by the brilliant Iraqi professional Ibrahim Bayesh in the 58th minute. The final minutes witnessed the peak of excitement and tension, as the referee showed a red card to Al-Riyadh player Marzouq Timbukti in stoppage time (90+2), but the "Central School" held on to snatch a valuable point.
The result's impact on the title race and relegation battle
This result has significant numerical implications in the league race. Al-Hilal's third draw of the season brings their points tally to 45, reducing the gap between them and their closest rival, Al-Ahli, to just 5 points. This keeps the title race wide open in the upcoming rounds and puts added pressure on the league leaders. Conversely, the point is a morale-boosting and tactical gain for Al-Riyadh, who are battling relegation. It raises their points total to 11, placing them in 16th position and giving them a boost in their fight to avoid the drop in the remaining matches.
Al-Qadisiyah strikes hard, and Al-Fayha regains its balance
Away from the capital, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah, Al-Qadisiyah continued their impressive run of form and victories, defeating hosts Al-Najma 3-1. Al-Qadisiyah's goals came from an own goal by Flores (7th minute), Julian Quinones (62nd minute), and Mathieu Retegui (73rd minute), while Rakan Al-Tulaihi scored Al-Najma's lone goal. This twelfth win for Al-Qadisiyah raised their points tally to 39, temporarily propelling them to third place and reinforcing their ambition to compete for Asian Champions League qualification. Meanwhile, Al-Najma's situation worsened as they remain at the bottom of the table with only 4 points.
In Al Majma'ah, Al Fayha capitalized on home advantage to secure a comfortable 2-0 victory over Al Fateh, with goals from Sabri Dahal and Fashion Sakala in the final minutes of the match. This win propelled Al Fayha to 17 points, placing them 12th in the standings, while Al Fateh remained on 21 points in 10th place, highlighting the close competition in the middle of the Roshan League table this season.
