Riyadh (AFP)
Al-Hilal healed its continental wounds, by defeating Al-Fateh 3-1, in the twenty-ninth stage, bringing it closer to clinching the Saudi Football League title.
Al Hilal played the match against the backdrop of its exit from the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League, despite its victory over its guest, Al Ain, UAE, 2-1 in the second leg, after falling 2-4 in the first leg in Al Ain, and losing its hopes of continuing in a competition in which it won a record four times.
At the “Kingdom Arena” stadium in Riyadh, Al Hilal searched for a victory that would change the “mood” and reconcile its fans, and the team of Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus succeeded in reaching the “80th point”, the record in one season, achieving its twenty-sixth victory in 28 matches, and without A defeat, leaving Al-Nassr at the top by 12 points, before the latter’s match with Al-Khaleej on Saturday.
The start of Al Hilal, which also had a postponed match, was not ideal, as Al-Fateh took the lead through Armenian Lucas Zelarayan (57), before the Jesus team responded through Brazilian Michel Delgado (58), Portuguese Ruben Neves (74 from a penalty kick), and Ali Al-Bulaihi (90). +15”, and Al-Fateh’s balance froze in sixth place at 40 points.
Al Hilal missed the Serbian trio, Alexander Mitrovic, the Brazilian Malcolm Felipe, and Salem Al Dosari, who was injured in the posterior muscle in front of the eye.
Al-Hilal announced Al-Dosari’s absence for five weeks, which means he will not participate in the match against Al-Ittihad in the King’s Cup semi-final next Tuesday, while Mitrovic will return to participate.
Al-Taawoun continued to chase Al-Ahly for third place, after defeating its host Damac with a score of 1-0, scored at the time by Brazilian killer Joao Pedro (89).
Al-Taawoun’s score rose to 51 points in fourth place, while Damak’s score froze at 38 points in eighth place.
Al-Taawoun reduced the gap between it and Al-Ahly to one point, after the latter fell to Riyadh 1-2, but it faces in the next stage with Al-Hilal, without its star Joao Pedro, who was suspended due to the accumulation of cards.
