Morocco march into Olympic men’s football semifinals

LONDON: It was a momentous Monday on and off the pitch in the Saudi Pro League as we learned that Neymar had left Saudi Arabia just as the title race exploded into life with Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad both losing. It means that at the halfway stage of the season, six points separate the top three and hopes are high of a title race for the ages.

Here are our four talking points from the latest round of action.

Neymar leaving Al-Hilal by mutual consent

It was no surprise that Al-Hilal announced late at night that Neymar, the superstar who signed in August 2023, was leaving by mutual consent. Injuries had meant that he never really arrived, playing just seven games in almost 18 months. The cruciate ligament rupture sustained when in action for Brazil just two months after he signed, was hugely unlucky for the player. Al-Hilal and the league would have loved to see him in action week in, week out.

However, it was not to be, and truth be told, Al-Hilal are not the kind of club to wait and wait. Coach Jorge Jesus said that his team were fine without Brazil’s record goalscorer and so it proved. The Blues went on to win the league last season and are currently leading this time, and while there is a sense of what might have been, the club should be fine again.

Aubamayeng shoots Al-Qadsiah into title race

Al-Hilal suffered a rare defeat on Monday, losing 2-1 to Al-Qadsiah just when they had the chance to move three points clear at top. It was down to the finishing of a certain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The former Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal star showed the kind of finishing that made him feared by defenses around the world. Al-Hilal’s backline were too relaxed and gave the 35-year-old too much time and space and were punished very early and very late in the game as Al-Qadsiah collected a famous win.

The newly promoted team have quietly moved into third place and, at the halfway stage, are just six points behind the top two of Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad. It is still a lot of ground to make up but they are the league’s form team and have now won eight of the last nine. If this run continues, then there is going to be a three-way battle for the title.

Ronaldo’s Monday delight

There could even be a four-way tussle for the title if Cristiano Ronaldo has his way.

Al-Nassr defeated Al-Fateh 3-1 on Sunday so could sit back and enjoy the top two losing. The results mean even the Yellows are not yet out of the running and now are eight points behind their rivals from Riyadh and Jeddah. It is still quite a gap but Ronaldo is in great goalscoring form at the moment, leading the standings above Karim Benzema and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

It is going to take some doing, but if their talisman keeps finding the net and their recent improvement in form continues, then the Yellows can get within touching distance. Stefano Pioli’s men need to find some more consistency, to cut out the defensive mistakes and also beat the top three when the games come. Easier said than done, but a four-way fight would be quite something.

Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad need to bounce back

Usually it is Al-Hilal who are celebrating after scoring a 94th-minute winner but not this time after their 2-1 loss to Al-Qadsiah. There was a rare lack of ruthlessness shown by the champions both in attack and defence. They had the chances to win the game and move three points clear but were wasteful and then gave Aubameyang too much time and space.

Now it is all about how they react. From May 2023 they did not lose a league game until November 2024. Now, just weeks later, there is another defeat. It could be just the wake-up call needed, or the beginning of a few chinks of weakness in that mighty armor. Jorge Jesus and his stars have work to do. 

The same can also be said of Al-Ittihad, who also went behind early at Damac, got back level, had chances to win and then conceded deep into added time to the same striker, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou. Both the top two only had themselves to blame. The next round of games should be quite telling.