RIYADH — Al Hilal extended its remarkable winning streak, solidifying its lead in the Saudi Professional League with a convincing 3-1 triumph over Al Riyadh in the 23rd round of the championship on Friday.
Despite an initial setback where Al Hilal's defender, Ali Al Bulaihi, inadvertently scored an own goal in the 52nd minute, the capital's blue team swiftly turned the tide in their favor. Al Hilal's striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic, missed a penalty in the first half's added time, but Al Riyadh's goalkeeper, Martin Campana, made a successful save.
Responding to Al Riyadh's lead, Al Hilal's coach, Jorge Jesus, implemented three strategic substitutions, introducing Savic and Neves to bolster the team's performance. The changes proved effective, with Ruben Neves equalizing for Al Hilal in the 66th minute through a flawlessly executed penalty kick.
Only nine minutes later, Brazilian forward Michael scored the go-ahead goal for Al Hilal, converting a cross into Al Riyadh's net. The match concluded with another penalty awarded to Al Hilal in the final minute, which Mitrovic confidently converted into the team's third goal.
This victory propelled Al Hilal's points to 65, creating a substantial 12-point lead over its closest competitors, while Al Riyadh's points remained at 23. Al Hilal's impressive winning streak now stands at 27 consecutive victories, tying with the world record and setting the stage for potentially surpassing it in the next game. The team's dominance in the league showcases its prowess and determination to achieve unprecedented success in Saudi football.
