Al Hilal began their campaign in the second edition of the Jawy Elite League Under-21 with a 2-1 victory over Al Faisaly on Monday, recovering from an early setback in a match that remained closely contested until the final whistle.
Al Faisaly made the stronger start and took the lead after only two minutes. Dayo Osho beat the Al Hilal defence to open the scoring, giving his side an immediate advantage and leaving Al Hilal facing an uphill task from the opening stages.
The hosts responded in emphatic fashion, however, turning the match around with two goals in the space of three minutes.
Turki Al-Ghamil levelled the score in the 26th minute before striking again in the 29th minute to put Al Hilal in front. His quick double changed the momentum of the game and gave Al Hilal control after their difficult start.
Al Faisaly continued to push for an equaliser after falling behind, while Al Hilal looked to exploit the space left by their opponents and threaten on the counter-attack. Both sides created danger during an open contest, with neither team prepared to settle for a passive approach.
The second half followed a similar pattern, as the teams exchanged attacks and chances. Al Faisaly came close to restoring parity on more than one occasion, while Al Hilal searched for a third goal that would have made the result more secure.
Despite the pressure at both ends, the score remained 2-1. Both defences produced important interventions, while a lack of precision in front of goal prevented either side from adding to the total.
Al Hilal were handed a late opportunity to settle the contest when the referee awarded them a penalty in stoppage time. Abdulaziz Jarmoush stepped up but was unable to convert, missing the spot-kick in the final minute and giving Al Faisaly one last chance to rescue a point.
Al Hilal nevertheless held on to their advantage until the final whistle. The result gives them their first three points of the competition and provides an important opening win in their bid to compete for the Jawy Elite League title.
For Al Faisaly, the defeat was particularly frustrating. They had led from the second minute but lost their advantage during a decisive three-minute spell in the first half. Their late pressure and the missed Al Hilal penalty were not enough to change the outcome.
The match’s official summary showed Al Hilal’s 2-1 success, with Al-Ghamil’s two goals proving decisive in a lively opening-round encounter.
