Kingdom Arena in Riyadh witnessed another interesting battle in the Saudi Pro League between Al Hilal vs Al Wehda FC. In a highly anticipated match, Al Hilal dominated the game with a 4-1 victory, further consolidating their position at the top of the table. Both sides had strong squads, and fans were keen to know the starting lineups and get things underway.
Al Hilal SFC Starting Lineup
Head coach Jorge Jesus’s strategy was a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is pretty balanced in defence and attack. Due to the 4-2-3-1 formation, Al Hilal could have ball possession.
- Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Bono).
- Defenders: João Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Renan Lodi.
- Midfielders: Rúben Neves, Mohamed Kanno, Salem Al-Dawsari, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Malcom.
- Forward: Marcos Leonardo.
Al Wehda FC Starting Lineup
Under Georgios Donis, Al Wehda FC used a 4-4-2 formation on the night, hoping to defend tight and hit Al Hilal on the break. However, defensive lapses cost them throughout the game.
- Goalkeeper: Abdullah Al-Owaishir.
- Defenders: Saeed Al-Muwallad, Abdullah Al-Hafith, Alexandru Crețu, Ali Al-Salem.
- Midfielders: Waleed Bakshween, Juninho Bacuna, Saad Bguir, Craig Goodwin, Youssef Amyn.
- Forward: Odion Ighalo.
Match Highlights
Al Hilal came out of the blocks quickly and pressed high. They scored quickly and kept bossing the play with Al Wehda on the backfoot.
- 7th Minute: Marcos Leonardo opened the scoring with a well-placed shot past Al Wehda’s goalkeeper, giving Al Hilal an early advantage.
- 11th Minute: Malcom extended the lead, finishing a brilliant move orchestrated by Mohamed Kanno.
- 82nd Minute: Malcom struck again, completing his brace after receiving an assist from Rúben Neves. There was no response from the defenders at Al Wehda for his finish.
- 89th Minute: Craig Goodwin scored a consolation goal for Al Wehda, capitalizing on a rare defensive lapse from Al Hilal.
- 90+1st Minute: Abdullah Al-Hamdan put the final nail in the coffin with a well-taken goal, assisted by Marcos Leonardo, securing a dominant win for Al Hilal.
Al Hilal’s Continued Dominance
Al Hilal SFC has maintained its position as one of the best teams in the Saudi Pro League. Because of its attack and tactics, it has been hard to beat.
Malcom, Marcos Leonardo, and Rúben Neves would be big players for the team in dismantling the Al Wehda defence. At the same time, Yassine Bounou (Bono) ensured that Al Hilal was strong at the back due to his crucial saves whenever needed.
Al Wehda FC’s Challenges
Al Wehda’s defence could not withstand Al Hilal’s onslaught. It was caught up multiple times, and its midfield struggled to maintain possession. Odion Ighalo, the team’s central striker, spent much of the match isolated and limited. If Al Wehda wants to compete with top teams, it will have to improve its defensive organization and transitions.
Conclusion
Al Hilal eases to a 4-1 victory against Al Wehda in the Saudi Pro League.
Al Hilal vs Al Wehda their well-balanced squad, they are continuously proving why they are contenders. Malcom’s two goals and Marcos Leonardo’s exceptional performance helped secure a crucial victory. Al Wehda FC must regroup and tighten their defence to avoid similar defeats. The Saudi Pro League continues to offer a lot of action. We see Al Hilal in better touch, and he looks like he will give much more in the weeks to come.
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