Saïd Benrahma scores twice as Neom SC end Al-Duhail’s unbeaten run

Saïd Benrahma scored twice as Neom SC secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Al-Duhail in the Gulf Champions League, ending Djamel Belmadi’s side’s 13-match unbeaten run.

The Algerian international was the standout performer on Tuesday as Neom continued their impressive start to the competition with a dominant display against the Qatari outfit, who are managed by his compatriot and former national team coach Belmadi.

Benrahma needed just four minutes to make his mark on the contest, opening the scoring with an excellent finish to give the Saudi Arabian side an early advantage.

His goal provided Neom with the perfect start, allowing them to approach the remainder of the match with confidence. The team maintained their lead and continued to put pressure on their opponents as they looked to strengthen their position.

Al-Duhail, meanwhile, struggled to find a response against a Neom side that remained organised and determined to protect their advantage.

With the match approaching its conclusion, Benrahma delivered another decisive moment to complete his brace and put the result beyond doubt.

The former West Ham United winger found himself one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper in the 87th minute and made no mistake, calmly finishing to score Neom’s third goal of the evening.

His second strike brought an impressive individual performance to a close and confirmed a comfortable victory for the Saudi Arabian club.

The 3-0 result also took Benrahma’s goal tally to eight across all competitions since the beginning of the season.

The 30-year-old has now scored three times in the Gulf Champions League, while his other goals have come in the Saudi Pro League, where he has found the net four times, and the King’s Cup, where he has registered once.

For Belmadi, however, the evening ended in disappointment. The defeat against Neom represented Al-Duhail’s first loss of the season and brought their 13-match unbeaten run to an end.

The result was particularly significant for Benrahma, who faced a familiar figure in the opposing dugout. Having previously worked with Belmadi during his time with the Algerian national team, the winger made the most of the reunion by producing a match-winning performance.

His two goals proved decisive as Neom claimed all three points and continued their winning run in the Gulf Champions League.