Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic bagged a hat-trick on Friday as Al-Hilal pulled off a stunning comeback to beat 4-3 with Al-Ittihad.
Match Report
The hosts came into the game as Saudi League Champions and had not dropped a point so far this season.
It looked like their form would continue when Brazilian captain Romarinho opened the scoring after just 16 minutes.
Mitrovic equalised minutes later, but goals from star signing Karim Benzema and Abderrazak Hamdallah meant Ittihad were leading 3-1 at the break.
Jorge Jesus' side did not let their heads drop, though, as Mitrovic added two more goals in five minutes to bring the scores level with 25 minutes remaining.
Nasser Al-Dawsari then completed the turnaround with a 71st minute winner that moved his side top of the Pro League.
Al-Hilal are the only side who remain unbeaten, with four wins and a draw from their opening five games.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side remain just one point behind after picking up four wins before Friday's setback.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
16' GOAL! Ittihad Club 1-0 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Romarinho)
20' GOAL! Ittihad Club 1-1 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Mitrovic)
27' Hamdallah's shot wide out
31' Benzema's shot stopped
38' GOAL! Ittihad Club 2-1 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Benzema)
41' Yellow Card! Omar Hawsawi booked
45' Malcom hits the bar
53' GOAL! Ittihad Club 3-1 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Abderrazak Hamdallah)
61' GOAL! Ittihad Club 3-2 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Mitrovic)
65' Penalty Goal! Ittihad Club 3-3 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Mitrovic)
71' GOAL! Ittihad Club 3-4 Al-Hilal Saudi FC (Salem Al Dawsari)
Line-ups
Ittihad Club XI: Benzema, Marcelo Grohe, Romarinho, Omar Hawsawi, Igor Coronado, Kante, Fabinho, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Madallah Al-Olayan, Ahmed Sharahili, Ahmed Bamsaud
Subs: Saleh Jamaan Al-Amri, Jota, Muhannad Shanqeeti, Sultan Al-Farhan, Haroune Camara, Hasan Kadesh, Osama Al-Mermesh, Marwan Al-Sahafi, Zakaria Hawsawi
Al-Hilal Saudi FC XI: Koulibaly, Yasir Al Shahrani, Bounou, Salem Al Dawsari, Mitrovic, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, Mohammed Kanoo, Malcom, Ali Albulayhi, Saud Abdulhamid
Subs: Abdullah Al Maiouf, Salman Al Faraj, Mohammed Jahfali, Mohammed Al Burayk, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Michael, Hassan Tambakti, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Khalifah Al-Dawsari
£_desmondz_£
694
gradually people are beginning to talk about Saudi pro league matches, some even go to watch the match and give highlights 🤣🤣🤣Ronaldo remains the goat 🐐 No cap, he made the world to love football.
eggosa91
642
All thanks to the goat
AsherJack7
386
me already watching [50percent] the games , which is I never hear know it exist before CR7 joined it.
FootballKingCR7
373
People saying Cristiano Ronaldo joined the best club in Saudi Arabia should know Al Hilal has always been the dominant club in the Saudi Pro League, and even Al Ittihad has been more successful than Al Nassr in recent years. Al Nassr won only three titles in the last 27 years while Al Hilal won the title 13 times in the same period - their last in the 2021-2022 season.
Vuccklopuy
284
Omg… Saudi league becoming interesting.
Nabeel21
271
What a comeback from away team
yutcklpstu
266
Watching Saudi league is now like watching UCL
Emmel17
236
Saudi league is presently my second best league. exciting news, goals, and vibe
GazeezRMG
227
Mitrovic is a good striker, more goals loading
campuser
160
Here is the GIF, click: http://www.goalgif.xyz/v2/live/matchGifs?match_id=53655793&language=en
jetbklmnyz
155
haters will not write Benzema Ittihad loose whereas if it was Al Nasar , the headline would have been Ronaldo Al-Nasar looses to Al Hilal as mitrovic nets hat-trick.
Wiwemopsuy
8
gradually people are beginning to talk about Saudi pro league matches, some even go to watch the match and give highlights 🤣🤣🤣Ronaldo remains the goat 🐐 No cap, he made the world to love football.
I couldn't agree more with you. He is truly a goat. I hear some people comparing to some chap. That guy is in a class of his own. He has written history in football that no one can ever match. Just look at the revolution he has brought in the Asian football. The revolution is shaking the world. And peg such to only him. I don't think if he hadn't gone there we would be having such a thing in the Saudi pro league. No one even knew about it. the G.O.A.T CR7.