Watkins seals emphatic Al Hilal derby win as Demiral sees red

Al Hilal moved to the top of the Roshn Saudi League with a convincing 3-0 victory over Al Ahli in a one-sided derby at Kingdom Arena on Tuesday.

The match was a rearranged fixture from the third round of the competition, but Al Hilal showed no signs of disruption to their momentum as they controlled the game from the opening minutes.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave the hosts the lead after only nine minutes. Al Hilal began at a relentless pace, repeatedly testing the Al Ahli defence before the Serbia international finished the first of their chances.

The goal, accompanied by commentary from Mishari Al-Qarni of “Thamanya”, set the tone for an evening in which Al Hilal largely dictated the contest.

Al Ahli struggled to respond and produced few meaningful attacks against Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Their lack of threat allowed the home side to maintain pressure, with the visitors frequently forced to retreat towards their own penalty area.

The second goal arrived in the 23rd minute when Crysencio Summerville extended Al Hilal’s advantage. His finish increased the pressure on Al Ahli and left the visitors facing an uphill task long before the interval.

Al Ahli improved slightly after the break and made some tentative attempts to get back into the match, but Bounou remained alert whenever they managed to approach his goal.

Al Hilal regained control as the second half progressed, creating a succession of attacks before substitute Ollie Watkins completed the scoring in the 86th minute. The new arrival’s goal confirmed a comprehensive victory for the home side.

The result gives Al Hilal 12 points from four consecutive wins. They lead the table on goal difference from second-placed Al Nassr.

Al Ahli, meanwhile, have dropped to seventh with six points. It was their second defeat of the league campaign, following their earlier loss to Al Kholood.

The match was also marked by a series of strong challenges and several confrontations between the players. Members of both coaching staffs became involved as tempers rose during the closing stages of the first half.

The dispute began after an incident involving Al Hilal player Mohammed Mahzari and Al Ahli forward Ivan Toney. Mahzari fell to the ground, claiming he had been struck, and Toney was shown a yellow card by the referee.

Merih Demiral then approached Mahzari and pulled him forcefully by the shirt while the Al Hilal player was still on the ground. Demiral was booked, while an Al Ahli coaching staff member was shown a red card for protesting against the decisions.

The tension escalated further in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time. Demiral received a second yellow card for a strong challenge on Summerville and was consequently sent off, leaving Al Ahli with 10 players.

Despite the incidents, Al Hilal retained their composure after the interval and completed a victory that preserves their perfect start and sends them to the summit of the league.