SPL Week 11: Al Hilal extends lead, Talisca stars again while Al Ittihad stutters

Global attention is focused on the Saudi Pro League like never before after its clubs welcomed a host of star-studded new arrivals to the Kingdom over the past nine months. Each week, Al Arabiya English rounds up key developments as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar and Co battle it out for the 2023-24 title.

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On Matchday 11, Al Hilal moved further ahead at the top of the league table after an impressive 3-1 win over Al Ahli, while Al Hazm posted a surprise 2-2 draw away to Al Ittihad and Al Nassr climbed above Al Taawoun into the second spot place – thanks to yet another masterclass from talented Brazilian Talisca.

Al Hilal underlines credentials

Another week, another win for Al Hilal. Their seventh straight victory in all competitions and fifth in a row in the league came at the expense of Al Ahli, who was swept away 3-1 in Riyadh.

Earlier in the week, Jorge Jesus’ side had shown its continental credentials with a 6-0 drubbing of Mumbai City in their AFC Champions League encounter. Against Al Ahli, the team took the lead after just 45 seconds. Sergej Milinković-Savić charged forward, controlling the ball well on the chest before cleverly prodding it past an onrushing Edouard Mendy into the Al Ahli goal.

Mendy had more joy 20 minutes later when he saved Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty impressively. However, the Serbian striker did breach his rival’s goal eventually, doubling Al Hilal’s lead before half-time with a header that was his 12th goal in as many games across the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League this season.

Al Ahli has often raised its level against the division’s bigger sides this season and Alain Saint-Maximin grabbed one back for the Jeddah club after the interval. However, the equalizer kept eluding them, and in the 84th minute, center-back Roger Ibanez conceded a calamitous own goal, guiding what should have been a routine header past Mendy from 18 yards out.

This meant Al Hilal has now scored at least three goals in four of its past five games, and after closest early-season rival Al Taawoun was surprisingly held to a draw by Al Khaleej, the league leaders have a four-point cushion between them and now second-placed Al Nassr.

Talented Talisca propels Al Nassr

Competing for the spotlight with Cristiano Ronaldo will always be a challenge, but Talisca is certainly giving the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a run for his money at Al Nassr this season. The numbers that Talisca has been racking up in recent weeks have been very impressive. He added another two in Al Nassr’s 3-1 victory over Al Fayha.

The Brazilian opened the scoring after half-time with the help of a deflection, sweeping home Cristiano Ronaldo’s smart lay-off. Talisca then doubled Al Nassr’s lead, climbing above his marker to powerfully head home Alex Telles’ left-wing cross.

Al Fayha reduced the deficit with a Hussein al-Shuwaish header before Talisca’s compatriot Otavio slotted home with a spectacular individual effort to put the result beyond doubt.

Talisca now has 12 goals in his past nine games and is unquestionably the in-form player in this Saudi Pro League, though he remains behind teammate Ronaldo on the elite division’s scoring charts in the 2023-24 season. His latest brace helped Al Nassr climb above Al Taawoun into second place, behind Al Hilal, and Luis Castro will already be in planning mode for what is set to be a mouthwatering clash between the current top two on December 1.

Champions slip up again

Al Ittihad’s poor recent form continued as the team held to a 2-2 home draw at home to relegation candidate Al Hazm – the reigning champions’ fifth consecutive domestic game without a win. For the visitors, who had claimed their first victory of the season against fellow strugglers Al Raed last week, this was unquestionably the best result so far this season.

When Karim Benzema opened the scoring on 26 minutes, Al Ittihad fans could have been forgiven for thinking it would be the start of a straightforward victory. The Frenchman latched on to N’Golo Kante’s through ball and kept his composure to fire past goalkeeper Ibrahim Zaid. However, Al Hazm, buoyed by last week’s three points, stayed in the game and grabbed a second-half equalizer when Mohammed al-Thani diverted Majed Qasheesh’s left-wing cross home.

With nine minutes left, Al Ittihad found themselves ahead again as Benzema turned provider, swiveling smartly in the area before serving the ball on a platter for Hassan Kadesh to finish from close range.

However, the game wasn’t over yet as striker Faiz Selemani followed up his brace against Al Raed last week with a late equalizer for Al Hazm, pouncing four minutes from time to earn an unlikely point for his side.

Al Ittihad is now languishing in sixth place on the table, eight points behind leaders Al Hilal, and on Tuesday, and will play away in the King’s Cup at Al Fayha, with whom Nuno Espirito Santo’s side drew goalless in the league last month. It is a potentially tricky tie at exactly the wrong time for last season’s Saudi Pro League champions.

Best of the rest

The pick of the weekend’s Saudi Pro League fixtures was a spirited performance from Al Ettifaq, who found themselves 2-1 down away to Al Wehda with nine minutes to go after a brace from Australian striker Craig Goodwin.

However, Al Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard is a master when it comes to late drama and following Georginio Wijnaldum’s 81st-minute equalizer, there was an even later winning goal from winger Demarai Gray – in the eighth minute of stoppage time.

Al Ettifaq is now seventh on the points table – just a point behind Al Ittihad.

Al Fateh is also still among the leading pack, climbing to fourth place with a 2-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table Al Raed. Spanish striker Cristian Tello had been goalless this month after finishing September with a superb hat-trick against Al Wehda. However, the ex-Barcelona man chose a great moment to score again, claiming the match-winning strike for Al Fateh.

Slaven Bilic’s side will now take on league leaders Al Hilal next week as their ability to stay among the Saudi Pro League’s elite teams will be put to the test.

Read more:

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