Neymar’s Debut Assist Propels Al-Hilal to Tennis-Like Victory Over Al-Riyadh

After representing Brazil in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, Neymar wasted no time leaving his mark, even as a substitute. He made a significant contribution with an assist as Al-Hilal triumphed in style, demolishing Al-Riyadh 6-1 in the Saudi Pro League.

The Powerhouse Lineup and Neymar’s Role:
In the eagerly awaited clash against Al-Riyadh, Al-Hilal’s coach, Jorge Jesus, fielded a formidable lineup, bolstered by high-profile summer signings such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Malcom, and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Meanwhile, the prized forward, Neymar, started the game on the bench.

With a superior squad in terms of quality, the home team immediately seized control from the first minute, maintaining a dominant 62% possession that left little hope for Al-Riyadh, who languished at the bottom of the league table.

After sustained pressure, Al-Hilal finally broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, courtesy of a successful penalty by Mitrovic.

The Ascension of Al-Hilal:
With the ice broken, Al-Hilal’s performance took off. Despite the visitors’ compact defensive play, the power and class of the “millionaire” team were evident in the fourth minute of injury time, as Milinkovic-Savic provided the assist for defender Yasir Al Shahrani to double the lead.

In the second half, despite dominating play, Al-Hilal struggled to penetrate the opponent’s defense. In the 64th minute, Coach Jesus made three substitutions, including the marquee signing, Neymar, who made his debut for the team.

By the 68th minute, newcomer Malcom assisted substitute Nasser Al-Dawsari for the third goal.

Neymar’s Debut Assist and Stellar Performances:
In the 83rd minute, it was Malcom who found the net, and fellow countryman Neymar left his first mark with a well-executed assist.

Not to be outdone by the newcomers, winger Salem Al Dawsari shone in the dying minutes with a brace, putting Al-Hilal ahead 6-0. Al-Riyadh managed to salvage some pride with a consolation goal in the 90+6 minute, courtesy of substitute Ali Ahmed Tahir Al Zaqan.

A Tennis-Like Victory:
With this resounding victory reminiscent of a tennis set, Al-Hilal now tops the Saudi Pro League standings with 16 points from 6 matches, leading second-placed Al-Ittihad by a single point and leaving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr (currently in 7th place) trailing by 9 points.