Al Hilal make perfect start as attacking efficiency overwhelms Al Faisaly

Al Hilal produced one of their most entertaining 45-minute performances under Simone Inzaghi as they began the new Roshn Saudi League season with a 3-0 victory over Al Faisaly at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

The Saudi Arabian club scored all three goals within a nine-minute spell before half-time, giving Inzaghi an emphatic opening to the campaign and highlighting an attacking sharpness that was often missing from Al Hilal’s football last season.

Karim Benzema opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Brazilian winger Malcom doubled the advantage with a finish from inside the penalty area. Ruben Neves then converted a second penalty to complete a remarkable burst of scoring.

The result put Al Hilal firmly in control by the interval, with Al Faisaly unable to respond to the intensity or precision of their opponents during the decisive period of the match.

Although Al Hilal had 53% possession in the opening half, according to SofaScore, their performance was defined more by the quality of their attacks than by simply having the ball. They registered eight shots on target, while Al Faisaly managed only two attempts.

Al Hilal also created four clear opportunities in the first 45 minutes and converted three of them. Their expected goals figure stood at 2.16, underlining the number and quality of chances they produced, while they also won five corners.

The opening display represented a notable change from many of Al Hilal’s performances last season. The club had struggled at times to generate enough attacking output and were repeatedly let down by missed opportunities.

Those weaknesses were not evident against Al Faisaly. Al Hilal attacked with greater purpose, turned pressure into clear chances and showed a level of ruthlessness that had been absent in several matches during the previous campaign.

The three goals in nine minutes also ensured that the team’s first half under Inzaghi was remembered for its efficiency as much as its entertainment. The combination of two successful penalties and Malcom’s effort gave Al Hilal a commanding lead while demonstrating how quickly they could punish their opponents.

For Al Faisaly, the statistics reflected a difficult opening period. Their two shots were dwarfed by Al Hilal’s eight, while the home side’s four dangerous chances created a clear gap between the teams in the final third.

The match was the first opportunity for Al Hilal to show what their new season could look like under Inzaghi. In the opening 45 minutes, they offered a more direct and effective attacking performance than had been seen from them for much of last season, finishing the half with a three-goal advantage.