Al-Hilal maintained their pursuit of Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad with a commanding 4-0 win over Al-Orubah. Kaio Cesar, coming off the bench, scored twice in quick succession at the Kingdom Arena.
His first goal came from a penalty in the 90th minute, followed by another just two minutes later. Aleksandar Mitrovic had earlier opened the scoring, assisted by captain Salem Al Dawsari.
Meanwhile, Al-Nassr secured an emphatic victory, staying five points behind Al-Hilal after defeating a 10-man Al-Okhdood 9-0. Aiman Yahya, Jhon Duran, Marcelo Brozovic, and Sadio Mane all found the net in the first half. The situation worsened for Al-Okhdood when goalkeeper Paulo Vitor was sent off for fouling Duran, who scored again in the 52nd minute.
Mane added to his tally seven minutes later and completed a remarkable four-goal performance. Mohammed Marran capped off the rout by winning and converting a penalty during stoppage time. This result highlights Al-Nassr’s attacking prowess as they continue to chase Al-Hilal in the standings.
Salem Al Dawsari matched his best scoring season with his latest goal against Al-Orubah, bringing his total to 14 goals this campaign. He previously achieved this tally last season. His recent hat-trick against Al-Raed further underscores his importance to Al-Hilal’s title challenge.
Mohammed Al-Shalhoub became only the second Saudi coach to win his first two matches with Al-Hilal in the Pro League since Sami Al-Jaber did so in 2013. This achievement adds another layer of success to an already impressive season for both him and the team.
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Statistical Highlights
In their match against Al-Okhdood, Al-Nassr accumulated an expected goals tally of 6.1, showcasing their dominance throughout the game. They have now won all four encounters against this opponent in the Pro League with an aggregate score of 18-3.
The comprehensive victories by both teams keep them firmly in contention as they aim to close the gap on league leaders Al-Ittihad. With only three games remaining, every point is crucial in this tightly contested title race.