End of the title race? Al-Ittihad thrashed Al-Hilal with a goal from Benzema
In the 21st round of the Saudi Pro League, the central match of the second half of the season took place in Jeddah, where Al-Ittihad hosted Al-Hilal. Before the match, the teams were separated by just 4 points in the standings.
The visitors opened the scoring in the middle of the first half, but before the break, Al-Ittihad not only equalized but also took the lead thanks to goals from Kadesh and Bergwijn. At the start of the second half, the Dutch winger scored a brace with an assist from Kante. The final touch was provided by Karim Benzema, who scored his 16th goal of the season, thus leveling with Cristiano Ronaldo in the list of top scorers.
The victory in this match allowed Al-Ittihad to extend their lead over their rivals to seven points. With 13 matches remaining in the season, this advantage looks quite significant, bringing Laurent Blanc's team closer to the championship title. Interestingly, a potential victory in the Pro League would mark their 10th in history.
Alex Olise
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
