"Where's Salah?", "Mitrovic bossing Benzema" - Twitter reacts as Al-Hilal win thriller against Al-Ittihad in Saudi Pro League
Social media erupted on Saturday night as fans witnessed Al-Hilal's shocking 4-3 comeback win against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. The match was nothing short of a thriller.
Romarinho sent the ball sailing past Yassine Bono to put Ittihad 1-0 ahead. However, soon after, Aleksandar Mitrovic, who recently arrived from Fulham, unexpectedly shone in this match. Despite being recognized for his hold-up play, Mitrovic displayed incredible agility with a volley, leveling the score for Al-Hilal.
Then, the reigning Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema flicked the ball from a low cross into the net to put Al-Ittihad ahead 2-1, and it looked like the match was theirs. Then, a blunder from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic allowed Hamdallah to widen the gap for Ittihad. As the half-time whistle blew, it was 3-1, with Al-Hilal on the losing end.
But the tides turned. Sixty minutes into the match, Mitrovic sent a loose ball into the net, notching his brace on the night and putting Al-Hilal back in the game at 3-2. Soon after, he did the remarkable, drilling home a penalty to level the score for his team.
Then, Salem Al Dawsari met a header from Milinkovic-Savic and sent it into the net to put Al-Ittihad on the back seat for the first time. With about 20 minutes left in the game, Al-Hilal had successfully turned the tables on Ittihad in a magnificent comeback.
For Al-Hilal, it was a triumph for the ages—from being down 3-1 to clinch a 4-3 victory against Al-Ittihad, which had not yet conceded a goal all season. For the spectators, it was an unforgettable night, as they took to X, formerly Twitter, to react with posts like these:
"Mitrovic bossing Benzema"
Neymar's debut for Al-Hilal against Al-Ittihad postponed due to sustained injury
Fans hoped to catch a glimpse of Neymar donning Al-Hilal's colors for the first time in their clash against arch-rivals Ittihad. Yet, those hopes were dashed as the Brazilian superstar has continued to nurse an injury that sidelined him for the latter part of the previous season with Paris Saint-Germain.
The enigmatic forward was conspicuously absent during training, as he was seen leaving the training ground last weekend, according to Sambafoot. Neymar's absence on the training ground makes it uncertain when his much-awaited debut will happen.
Al-Hilal are reportedly treading cautiously, aiming to offer the meticulous care the Samba superstar requires for a full recovery. The team seems committed to ensuring their star signing will return to the field and stay fit for the long run.