Game is over and the final score is Al-Hilal Saudi FC 1-1 Al-Riyadh. Here is the match report.
2024/2025 Saudi Professional League
1-1
Match Report
The sides played out a dramatic encounter at Kingdom Arena on Friday, but neither team were able to find a late winner.
Despite a bright start by Al-Hilal, it was the visitors who looked to have struck first. Mohamed Konate peeled off the back of his defender to thump in Sekou Lega's whipped cross, but a VAR check showed he had just set off too early.
The hosts dominated the ball but created few clear-cut chances with it. Marcos Leonardo went closest, only to drag his effort wide of the far post from a tight angle on the left.
Konate haunted Al-Hilal again just before the break, racing in behind to slot past Yassine Bounou one-on-one. This time, the offside flag went up, though the goal was given following a VAR review.
Just before the hour-mark, Al-Hilal benefitted from another tight offside call after Lega drilled a low shot under Bounou into the bottom-right corner, but VAR once again showed he had strayed beyond the hosts' defence.
Moments later, Salem Al Dawsari equalised. None of the Al-Riyadh players spotted his run down the left, and he kept his composure to bend a lovely shot around Milan Borjan and into the far post.
However, there was still time for more drama. Abdulelah Al Khaibari was penalised for a handball in the box, which incensed the visitors, and following a lengthy check, including a look at the monitor by the referee, the decision was overturned as the captain had not touched the ball.
Final whistle. #HILRIY 1-1 pic.twitter.com/SubIHFtdJb
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) February 14, 2025
Data Debrief: So close yet so far
With Al-Ittihad not playing until Saturday, this was Al-Hilal's chance to add some pressure on the league leaders.
They rode their luck at times - the two disallowed Al-Riyadh goals were ruled out by a matter of inches - but overall, they will feel they deserved the win.
They had 18 shots in the game to Al-Riyadh's six, generating 1.88 expected goals (xG), and having 36 touches in the opposition box. By contrast, Sabri Lamouchi's side touched the ball just eight times in Al-Hilal's area.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
8' Highlight from Al-Hilal Saudi FC vs Al-Riyadh
27' Match Event for Al-Hilal Saudi FC vs Al-Riyadh
45' GOAL! Al-Hilal Saudi FC 0-1 Al-Riyadh (Mohamed Konaté)
60' GOAL! Al-Hilal Saudi FC 1-1 Al-Riyadh (Salem Al-Dawsari)
62' Highlight from Al-Hilal Saudi FC vs Al-Riyadh
87' Match Event for Al-Hilal Saudi FC vs Al-Riyadh
Line-ups
Al-Hilal Saudi FC XI: Bounou, Salem Al Dawsari, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, Malcom, Ali Albulayhi, Hassan Tambakti, Hamad Al-Yami, Moteb Al-Harbi, Marcos Leonardo, Kaio César
Subs: Koulibaly, Mohammed Al Owais, Mohammed Kanoo, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Khalifah Al-Dawsari, Khalid Al-Ghannam, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Turki Al-Ghamil
Al-Riyadh XI: Borjan, Yehya Al Shehri, Ahmed Asiri, Yoann Barbet, Tozé, Bernard Mensah, Lucas Kal, Mohamed Konaté, Ibrahim Bayesh, Sekou Lega, Abdul Ilah Al-Khaibri
Subs: Nawaf Al-Abed, Saud Zaydan, Mohammed Saleh, Swailem Al-Menhali, Hussain Al-Nuweqi, Bader Al-Mutairi, Nawaf Al-Hawsawi, Abdulrahman Al-Shammari, Marzouq Tambakti