JEDDAH — Al Hilal edged closer to clinching the Saudi Professional League title by securing a thrilling 2-1 victory over host Al Ahli in a packed classic in Jeddah on Monday. This postponed match from Round 28 leaves Al Hilal just one point away from the title with four rounds remaining. The blue team increased their tally to 86 points, maintaining a 12-point lead over their closest rival, Al Nassr, who currently have 74 points. This defeat freezes Al Ahli's points at 55, holding them at third place in the standings. Brazilian player Malcom decisively rejected a draw, scoring Al Hilal's second goal in the 89th minute, just as the match seemed destined for a 1-1 tie. Al Hilal turned the tables on their hosts, emerging victorious from an ideal soccer summit that saw a turnout of 49,816 spectators. The 13th minute nearly favored Al Ahli when Allan Saint-Maximin delivered a precise pass to Algerian Riyad Mahrez, who broke through and fired a powerful shot that hit the post after beating goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. However, a quick counterattack by Brazilian Michael saw him face off against Senegalese keeper Mendy of Al Ahli, but his shot was easily saved. After an exciting back-and-forth with no clear dominator except for Al Hilal's superior penetration into the box, the 30th minute smiled on the home team. A powerful shot by Saint-Maximin was blocked by Yassine Bounou, but Firas Al Buraikan followed up perfectly, netting the first goal for Al Ahli in the 30th minute. The first half ended with Al Ahli in the lead, despite Al Hilal's unsuccessful attempts to equalize, even though they were close to adding a second goal. However, Moroccan Yassine Bounou successfully defended a one-on-one, preserving his clean sheet. In the second half, Al Ahli pushed towards Al Hilal's goal to extend their lead, but a second goal remained elusive despite multiple attempts. In the 52nd minute, Al Hilal leveled the score following a perfect attack led by Brazilian Malcom. He sent a cross that was headed in by Mitrovic, marking the equalizing goal for Al Hilal. Brazilian Malcom played a pivotal role just before the end of the match, which was heading towards a 1-1 draw. He launched an attack for Al Hilal, bypassed Al Ahli's defenses one by one, confronted keeper Mendy, and scored the second goal, sealing the victory in the final minute of regulation time.
