Al Hilal extend Roshn Saudi League lead with Riyadh derby win as Martinelli makes debut

Al Hilal maintained their perfect start to the Roshn Saudi League season by beating city rivals Al Shabab 2-0 in the Riyadh derby, with new signing Gabriel Martinelli making his first appearance for the club.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic opened the scoring early in the second half before Ruben Neves sealed victory from the penalty spot late on at SHG Arena on Friday.

The result gives Al Hilal five wins from five matches and takes them to 15 points at the top of the table. They are three points clear of Al Nassr, who face a difficult clash with Al Ittihad on Saturday.

Al Shabab, meanwhile, suffered their second defeat of the campaign. They remain without a win after five games and sit 13th with three points.

Al Hilal had to wait until the 53rd minute to break the deadlock. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic met a low cross from full-back Mohammed Mahzari and directed the ball into the net to put the visitors ahead.

The league leaders then doubled their advantage in the 87th minute after being awarded a penalty. Ruben Neves sent a powerful low effort to the goalkeeper’s left, leaving Al Shabab with little chance of recovering.

The derby also marked Ollie Watkins’ first start for Al Hilal since his move from Aston Villa. The England striker had previously come off the bench during Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Al Ahli in the third round of the competition.

Martinelli’s involvement came just 24 hours after Al Hilal announced his signing from Arsenal. The Brazil forward began the match among the substitutes before replacing Sultan Mandash in the 67th minute.

His introduction was one of the notable moments of the evening as Al Hilal’s latest high-profile arrival began his Saudi football career. However, it was the established midfield pair of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves who provided the decisive contribution on the pitch.

For Al Hilal, the victory continues an unblemished opening to the new Roshn Saudi League season and strengthens their position at the summit. Their advantage could be tested by Al Nassr, who have the opportunity to close the gap when they meet Al Ittihad in Saturday’s high-profile fixture.

Al Shabab’s difficult start continued despite holding their opponents until the second half. With three points from their opening five matches and no victory so far, they remain in the lower half of the standings as the league campaign develops.