Al-Hilal 3-0 Al-Hazem: Neves stunner helps leaders move four points clear

Ruben Neves' second-half stunner helped Al-Hilal on their way to a 3-0 win over Al-Hazem, moving his team four points clear at the Saudi Pro League summit. 

Al-Nassr have the chance to close the gap back to a point if they beat Al-Qadsiah later on Thursday, but Al-Hilal have ensured the pressure is on Cristiano Ronaldo and co. 

Bruno Varela was tested inside the first three minutes of the contest, with the Al-Hazem goalkeeper doing brilliantly to smother Marcos Leonardo's attempt from inside the area. 

Leonardo continued to be Al-Hilal's major threat in the final third as he wildly fired a further two shots wide of the mark, but the hosts got themselves ahead in the 29th minute. 

A pinpoint diagonal delivery from deep by Neves was met by the head of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who timed his run to perfection before glancing the ball into the net. 

Al-Hilal came close to doubling their tally four minutes later, but a sensational double stop from Varela denied both Mohamed Kanno and Malcom.

However, the league leaders got their second after the break, with Neves hitting a fierce shot from 25 yards out that thundered off the underside of the crossbar on its way in.

And Al-Hilal's 11th win of the season was sealed by Darwin Nunez's 90th-minute tap-in, with the striker on hand to steer fellow substitute Kaio Cesar's ball across the box home. 

Data Debrief: Home is where the heart is

Al-Hilal knew the importance of putting down a marker to their title rivals, and they did so with relative ease, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 2.99 from their 14 shots to Al-Hazem's 0.12, from six attempts at Mohammed Al Yami's net. 

This result also continued their fine form at Kingdom Arena. Al-Hilal have not lost any of their last 11 home matches in the Pro League (W9 D2), including winning the last five in a row.

Inzaghi's side have also won their last 10 league matches overall, last achieving that number of victories in a row between May and October 2024. They are also unbeaten in their last 21 games in the Pro League (W16 D5).