Neves double helps Al Hilal extend remarkable opening-day run

Al Hilal began their Roshn Saudi League campaign with a 4-2 victory over Al-Faisaly on Friday, preserving the club’s long-standing record of avoiding defeat in their first league match of the season.

The result delivered three points for “The Boss” and continued a notable historical pattern for one of Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs. Regardless of the opponent or the circumstances surrounding each new campaign, Al Hilal have maintained their resistance to losing on the opening day of the league.

Al Hilal made an emphatic start at the stadium, scoring three times before half-time. Karim Benzema, Malcom and Ruben Neves were all on target as the home side established a commanding advantage during the first half.

Al-Faisaly responded after the interval and gave themselves hope of rescuing a result by scoring twice. Their comeback, however, was halted when Neves converted a penalty to complete Al Hilal’s fourth goal and secure the victory.

The win means Al Hilal have once again opened their Roshn Saudi League campaign without dropping points. More importantly, it underlined the team’s ability to handle the pressure of the first fixture, when the outcome can set the tone for the season ahead.

Although Al-Faisaly managed to make the second half more competitive, Al Hilal’s early three-goal burst gave them the platform to control the contest. Neves then provided the decisive response from the penalty spot after the visitors had reduced the deficit with two goals.

For Al Hilal, the 4-2 scoreline represents a valuable start to a campaign in which the club are aiming to compete for every available trophy. Beginning with a win also gives the squad an important boost as they prepare to continue their involvement in the new season.

The opening round has again proved a favourable stage for Al Hilal. Their latest success against Al-Faisaly extended the run that has seen them avoid defeat at the beginning of their league campaigns throughout their history, reinforcing a tradition the club have repeatedly maintained.

A separate item accompanying the report also highlighted a record involving Yassine Bounou with Al Hilal, described as occurring for the first time. The main focus of Friday’s match, though, was Al Hilal’s latest opening-day victory and their continued ability to start a Roshn Saudi League season positively.

With Benzema and Malcom scoring in the first half and Neves adding two goals, including the penalty that settled the match, Al Hilal had enough attacking quality to withstand Al-Faisaly’s second-half response. The 4-2 result leaves “The Boss” with the ideal opening: three points, four goals and another unbeaten start to their league campaign.