The highly anticipated derby match between Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli ended in a goalless draw on Monday evening at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, in the highlight of the 20th round of the Saudi Professional League. A large crowd of 23,632 spectators filled the stadium, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the match, which was characterized by its competitiveness and cautious tactical approach.

This match is of paramount importance in the league title race, as the result has intensified the competition at the top of the table. Al-Hilal increased their points tally to 47, maintaining their lead, but only by a single, precarious point over their closest rivals and traditional runners-up, Al-Nassr, foreshadowing crucial matches ahead. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli continued to apply pressure on the leaders, raising their points total to 44 and settling into third place, keeping their title hopes alive.

The match witnessed a notable event: the debut of young French striker Mohamed Kader Meiti in Al-Hilal's jersey. Al-Hilal officially announced his signing on Sunday with a three-and-a-half-season contract, coming from French club Stade Rennais. The Al-Hilal fans are counting on this deal to strengthen the team's attacking force in upcoming local and continental competitions.

Technically, Al-Hilal dominated possession and posed the greater threat throughout the first half, launching an early attack. Uruguayan Darwin Núñez nearly opened the scoring with a well-placed header in the 11th minute, but Ivorian Franck Kessié made a heroic intervention to clear the ball off the line. Al-Hilal continued to press, with Serbian Sergej Savić firing a powerful free-kick in the 21st minute that narrowly missed the target. Núñez followed up with another powerful shot in the 24th minute, which Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy brilliantly saved at the second attempt.

On the other hand, Al-Ahli had dangerous opportunities to turn the tables, most notably the shot by Brazilian Wenderson Galeano that went over the crossbar in the 29th minute. Also, the veteran Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly intervened at the right time to save Al-Hilal from a certain goal in the 36th minute, so the first half ended in a goalless draw.

In the second half, the excitement continued with both teams exchanging attacks. Algerian Riyad Mahrez threatened Al-Hilal's goal with a powerful shot in the 67th minute that went over the crossbar, and Brazilian Roger Ibanez wasted a golden opportunity for Al-Ahli with a header that went just wide of the post in the 76th minute. The excitement reached its peak in stoppage time when the referee showed a red card to Al-Ahli defender Ali Majrashi after he received his second yellow card, ending the match in a fair draw that kept all possibilities open in the league race.

A 1-1 draw was the outcome of the hard-fought match between Neom and Al-Akhdoud, in the 20th round of the Roshan Professional League. The game, held at Prince Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, was full of excitement and saw the lead change hands until the final minutes, ultimately resulting in both teams sharing the points in their battle to improve their league positions.

Match scenario: Early lead and late comeback

The match began with clear attacking intentions from Neom, who pressed early in search of an early goal. However, things didn't go their way. In the fourth minute, from a well-organized counter-attack, Christian Bassogog delivered a decisive pass that put his teammate Khaled Nari through on goal. Nari then calmly slotted the ball past the Neom goalkeeper, giving the home side a surprise lead.

Neom players tried to rectify the situation throughout the first half, launching several attacks to equalize the score, but Al-Akhdoud's defensive formation prevented that, and the first half of the match ended with Al-Akhdoud leading by a clean goal.

In the second half, the visitors continued their efforts until the 85th minute, when relief finally came for Neom fans. The referee awarded a penalty, which French star Alexandre Lacazette expertly converted past goalkeeper Samuel, leveling the score in the dying moments. The final moments were marked by palpable tension, culminating in Neom's Naif Asiri receiving a red card in the 90+1 minute, forcing his team to finish the match with ten men.

The two teams' positions in the Roshan League standings

With this result, each team added a point to its tally, with Neom Club's tally rising to 25 points, settling in ninth place, a position that puts it in the middle of the table in a comfortable position. The team aspires to improve it in the coming rounds to get closer to the leading positions and compete for the qualifying spots for continental championships in the future.

On the other hand, Al-Akhdoud's tally reached 10 points, placing them 17th, second to last. This result is far from satisfactory for Al-Akhdoud, who are battling to avoid relegation from the top division. The team faces immense pressure to escape the looming threat of relegation as the competition nears its conclusion.

The importance of the point and its impact on the relegation battle

This match takes on particular importance given Al-Akhdoud's precarious position. While securing a point against a star-studded team like Neom might seem like a morale booster, it doesn't significantly improve their fight against relegation. This draw reflects the fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, where easy matches are no longer possible, and teams at the bottom of the table are now capable of upsetting mid-table and top clubs. This increases the market value and technical level of the Saudi league, which has become a focus of global attention.

In a move reflecting the great ambitions of the Saudi Al-Qadisiyah club to compete for titles, international press reports revealed that the club's management has reached a final agreement to sign Moroccan left-back Sofiane El Karouani, who plays for the Dutch club Utrecht.

The reliable journalist in the transfer market, Santi Ona, confirmed that the negotiations between the two parties were successful, as all personal and financial terms were agreed upon, and the deal will be officially completed and its procedures finalized during the upcoming summer transfer window, making the Croatian the first pillar of "Beni Cadiz" for the new sports season.

Impressive statistics for Al-Kroani in the Dutch league

Al-Qadisiyah's interest in the 25-year-old Moroccan player stems from his impressive performances in the Dutch leagues. According to recent reports, Al-Krouani had an exceptional season with Utrecht, participating in 34 matches across all competitions, scoring 3 goals, and providing an astonishing 15 assists, making him one of his team's most prominent attacking defenders.

The new Al-Qadisiyah project and the challenge of the giants

This deal comes amidst the historic transformation Al-Qadisiyah Club has undergone since its acquisition by Saudi Aramco, as part of the sports club privatization project. The Al-Qadisiyah management aims to build an invincible team capable of challenging the top four clubs (Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli) in the Saudi Professional League. The club has previously made high-profile signings of international stars, and the acquisition of the Croatian player is a continuation of this strategy, which aims to strengthen key positions with players possessing European experience and high technical ability.

Moroccan presence in the Saudi League

With his anticipated arrival, Soufiane El Karouani will join a constellation of Moroccan stars who have shone in Saudi Arabian football, such as Yassine Bounou, Abderrazak Hamdallah, and Munir Mohamedi. This trend reflects the confidence Saudi clubs have in the Moroccan player, who is known for his tactical discipline and high skill level. El Karouani is expected to add this quality to Al-Qadisiyah's left flank, thus enhancing the team's chances of competing for domestic and continental titles in the future.