Summary of the Al-Hilal vs. Al-Shabab match: 5-3... Al-Hilal wins the Riyadh derby
On a night of intense football action and a flurry of goals, Al-Hilal's first football team returned to winning ways in a big way, achieving a resounding and well-deserved victory over their neighbor and host, Al-Shabab, with a score of five goals to three, in the exciting Riyadh derby held at the "SHG Arena" stadium at Al-Shabab Club, as part of the twenty-fourth round of the Saudi Professional League.
A fiery start and a dramatic first half scenario
The match was anything but ordinary, filled with twists and turns from the opening minutes. The home side surprised their guests with an early goal by Josh Brownhill in the 13th minute, but Al-Hilal's response was swift, with Mohamed Kanno equalizing in the 19th minute. The excitement intensified when Al-Hilal defender Ali Al-Bulaihi scored an own goal (31st minute), giving Al-Shabab the lead again. However, Al-Hilal came back strongly, and before the end of the first half, star player Abderrazak Hamdallah managed to equalize for Al-Shabab with a skillful individual effort in the 44th minute. The decisive word in this half belonged to Senegalese defender Kalidou Coulibaly, who gave Al-Hilal the lead with a third goal in stoppage time (45+3), ending a marathon first half with the Blues ahead 3-2.
Al-Hilal imposes its control and secures the result
Al-Hilal entered the second half with renewed determination to secure the victory and avoid any derby surprises. Sultan Mandash extended their lead by scoring the fourth goal in the 48th minute, quickly demoralizing Al-Shabab. Al-Hilal continued their attacking pressure, with Brazilian Marcos Leonardo adding a fifth goal in the 61st minute, confirming his team's dominance on the field. Despite Al-Shabab's attempts to mount a comeback and reduce the deficit with a goal from Yassin Adli in the 75th minute, the match ended with a decisive 5-3 victory for Al-Hilal.
The importance of winning and its impact on the standings
This victory is of paramount importance to Al-Hilal in their pursuit of a top spot, as it raised their points tally to 58, solidifying their third-place position and securing their seventeenth win of the season. This victory reflects the team's formidable attacking prowess and their ability to come back from behind. Conversely, this loss compounds the woes of Al-Shabab, whose points total remains at 25, placing them in thirteenth place. This eleventh defeat puts the coaching staff and players under immense pressure to turn things around in the remaining matches and escape the relegation zone.
The Riyadh derby: A renewed historical legacy
The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Shabab match is considered one of the classics of Saudi football, enjoying widespread popularity both locally and across the Arab world. Today's result confirms Al-Hilal's continued dominance in recent times, while highlighting Al-Shabab's urgent need to reorganize its defense after conceding five goals in a single match – a statistic that reflects a clear weakness in the team's backline against direct rivals.
