Al Hilal began their Roshn Saudi League campaign with a 4-2 victory over Al-Faisaly on Friday, extending their long-standing record of avoiding defeat in the opening round of the competition.
The result secured three points for “The Boss” and maintained a notable tradition at the start of their league seasons. Despite changes in opponents and circumstances from one campaign to the next, Al Hilal have continued to steer clear of defeat in their opening league fixture.
Al Hilal made an emphatic start to the match, scoring three times before half-time. Karim Benzema, Malcom and Ruben Neves were on target as the visitors established a commanding advantage before the break.
Al-Faisaly responded after the interval and briefly threatened to change the direction of the contest by scoring twice. However, Al Hilal restored their control when Neves converted a penalty to complete the scoring and secure a 4-2 win.
The victory means Al Hilal have once again avoided dropping points at the beginning of their Roshn Saudi League campaign. Their latest performance reinforced the side’s ability to handle the pressure of the opening fixture and ensured that their established first-round sequence remained intact.
For Al Hilal, the victory also provides an important early boost as they begin a season in which they are aiming to compete for every available trophy. The team’s opening-night performance underlined the importance they attach to starting strongly, with the club once again refusing to abandon its historic habit of avoiding defeat in the first league match.
The three-goal first-half display gave Al Hilal a platform from which to manage the game, although Al-Faisaly’s response after the interval prevented the match from becoming straightforward. The penalty converted by Neves ultimately settled the contest and allowed Al Hilal to begin the new season with a valuable win.
Their 4-2 success therefore carried significance beyond the points on offer. It preserved a record that has become a defining feature of Al Hilal’s league starts while giving the club confidence ahead of the remainder of the campaign.
Al Hilal will now continue their pursuit of honours across the season, with their opening-round result serving as an early indication that they intend to remain among the leading contenders. For Al-Faisaly, the two-goal response in the second half was not enough to overturn the damage caused by Al Hilal’s powerful opening 45 minutes.
