Hilal blanked Al-Ittifaq 2-0 in a Saudi Premier League match at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium where police arrested five persons after a riot broke out during the break on Saturday. Mohammed Al-Anber put Al-Hilal ahead in the first half before the Sweden's international midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson sealed the win for the champion from the spot. The three points won here helped Hilal reduce the gap between with the leader Al-Ittihad to five points. Al-Ittihad is on top with 25 points after Friday's 2-1 win over Al-Wehdah. In another match at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Al-Nasr and Al-Shabab shared the spoils after a goalless draw in a match officiated by Swiss referees upon Al-Nasr's request. The draw adds one point to Al-Nasr's credit to remain third with 18 points, two ahead of the fourth-placed Al-Shabab. In Dammam, Col. Yousuf Al-Qahtani, Spokesman for the Eastern Province Police Department, said five persons were arrested after a riot broke out during the break between Hilal-Ittifaq match. No one was reported injured. An investigation into the incident in under way. On the field the ninth round clash revived Al-Hilal's hopes for the title race especially after the team received a moral boost following FIFA decision to hang the suspension of Al-Hilal Libyan midfielder Tairq Al-Taib. Al-Taib, 31, was absent for more than two months from the Saudi League actions after his former team Gaziantepspor of Turkey sued him for moving to the Riyadh side. Al-Hilal waited for 20 minutes to shoot into the lead through Mohammed Al-Anber's header. Ghanaian striker Prince Tagoe and Saleh Basher were not able to threaten Al-Hilal goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Daeyea thanks to the man-to-man strategy applied by Hilal defenders. Wilhelmsson doubled Hilal's lead in the 78th minute from the spot. __
