Immortal Benzema on Cristiano’s heels

It could only be him. He came back and swept everything aside. Karim Benzema led his team in victory over Al Kholood. They are now just two points behind the leader – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. The French striker has built a blistering partnership with Malcom. It was a brilliant display from the Brazilian, who provided two assists and did whatever he wanted against the visiting defense.

The first half began with a clear chance for captain Al-Dawsari. His shot drifted just wide of Cozzani’s left post. The intent was obvious, and Simone Inzaghi’s side did not take long to break the deadlock. Al-Harbi scored the opener after bursting forward from deep. He met a cutback and stroked it into the net with ease. Just a minute later, Benzema finished at the near post after a low cross from Malcom. That made it 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Hat-trick Benzema

The minutes passed amid physical duels and quick transitions from Al Hilal. Inzaghi’s side built through Benzema, who was able to drop into the final third to receive the ball and help move it out from the back. In the 29th minute, Malcom went down inside the box. The French forward missed the penalty. Even so, the rebound fell kindly for the former Real Madrid striker, who nodded home for his second. Al Kholood had no answer. Chances for the home side came one after another. The only real danger arrived in the 35th minute, when Bounou had to save a dangerous effort from John Buckley. When it seemed the first half would end 3-0, Karim decided to rise even higher. Hitting it first time like the killer he is, he turned a cross from Milinkovic-Savic into the net. A hat trick for the Ballon d’Or winner, and an emphatic lead by halftime.

There was little tension in the early stages of the second half. Al Hilal wanted to dominate possession and let the minutes tick away. Even amid that control, the home side still found ways to overwhelm their opponent. After a poor attempt to play out from the back by Al Kholood, Al-Dawsari blasted past Cozzani following a square pass from his teammate Hawsawi. Five goals and a full-blown show from Inzaghi’s side. It was an attacking feast that also allowed for several substitutions and gave regular starters a rest. The match drifted on through mistimed fouls and the occasional burst from the visitors, who were unable to win the ball back during Al Hilal’s long spells of possession.

This match also offered a closer look at some of the defensive standouts. Koulibaly was immense on several occasions. He was effective in duels and quick to choose the right moments to press the forwards. Theo Hernández, meanwhile, continues to impress. At 28, he looks like a player who still could have offered plenty in Europe. Inzaghi, however, is not complaining.

In the 76th minute, Benzema decided he could play the provider too. In a move put together by Al Hilal’s attackers, the Frenchman slipped the ball across in a two-on-two situation for Marcos Leonardo to score. It was the sixth on the night. And the kind of feast that thrills any fan. When the referee blew for full time, the message was clear: Benzema is back. And in a version that will scare Saudi Arabia.

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Al Hilal

• 37 Bono
• 19 Theo Hernández
• 87 Hassan Altambakti (70')
• 24 Moteb Al Harbi (57')
• 3 Koulibaly
• 10 Malcom (45')
• 8 Ruben Neves
• 28 Mohammed Kanno (45')
• 22 Milinkovic-Savic
• 29 Salem Al Dawsari (70')
• 90 Benzema x3
• Substitutes
• 9 Marcos Leonardo (70')
• 18 Murad Al Hawsawi (45')
• 96 Suhayb Al Zaid
• 32 Abdullah Al Zaid
• 44 Saad Al Muthary
• 78 Ali Lajami (70')
• 17 Mohammed Alyami
• 14 Abdulkarim Darisi (57')
• 23 Sultan Mandash (45')

Al Kholood

• 31 Juan Pablo Cozzani
• 25 Mansour Camara
• 15 Ramzi Solan
• 3 Edgaras Utkus (67')
• 70 Muhammad Sawaan (33')
• 38 Shaquille Pinas (77')
• 46 Abdulaziz Al Elewai
• 6 John Buckley
• 11 Hattan Bahebri (68')
• 39 Abdulrahman Al Dosari
• 99 Guga (45')
• Substitutes
• 24 Odai Slimani
• 4 Jamaan Al Dosari (67')
• 19 Majed Khalifa
• 10 Iker Kortajarena (45')
• 7 Sultan Al Shehri (33')
• 52 Rakan bin Jaman
• 30 Mohammed Al Shammari
• 8 Abdulrahman Al Safari (77')
• 96 Kevin N'Doram (68')

Substitutions

Sultan Al Shehri (33', Muhammad Sawaan), Murad Al Hawsawi (45', Mohamed Kanno), Sultan Mandash (45', Malcom), Iker Kortajarena (45', Guga), Abdulkarim Darisi (57', Moteb Al Harbi), Jamaan Al Dosari (67', Edgaras Utkus), Kévin N'Doram (68', Hatan Bahbri), Marcos Leonardo (70', Salem Al Dawsari), Ali Lajami (70', Hassan Al Tambakti), Abdulrahman Al Safari (77', Shaquille Pinas)

Goals

1-0, 6': Moteb Al Harbi, 2-0, 7': Benzema, 3-0, 30': Benzema, 4-0, 49': Benzema, 5-0, 54': Salem Al Dawsari, 6-0, 75': Marcos Leonardo

Cards

Referee: Sven Jablonski
VAR Referee: Benjamin Cortus, Katrin Rafalski
Muhammad Sawaan (18',Yellow), Milinkovic-Savic (51',Yellow), Mansour Camara (61',Yellow), Murad Al Hawsawi (64',Yellow)

Standings

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
1 ALN	70	27	23	1	3
2 ALH	68	28	20	8	0
3 ALA	66	28	20	6	2
4 QAD	60	27	18	6	3
5 TAA	46	27	13	7	7

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
12 SHA	30	27	7	9	11
13 ALF	28	27	7	7	13
14 KHO	26	28	8	2	18
15 DHA	22	27	4	10	13
16 ALR	20	27	4	8	15