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Al-Hilal roared back to form on Tuesday, thrashing Al-Kholood 5-1 to send a message to table toppers Al-Ittihad, and the rest of the Saudi Pro League, that the title race is far from over.

A painful 4-1 loss on Saturday to the league leaders in the “Saudi El Clasico” left the Blues seven points adrift in second place, with just one win in five league games and something to prove. Now though, the gap is back to four (temporarily, at least; Al-Ittihad travel to Al-Khaleej on Wednesday) and with 12 games still to play, there is still a long way to go.

A real sense of determination was evident at the Kingdom Arena, where the hosts were two goals to the good within four minutes. The first was simply devastating: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic delivered a long pass from deep that found Salem Al-Dawsari outside the area, who chipped a clever ball over the defense for the onrushing Malcom to head home.

The visitors were reeling after just three minutes and fell further behind within a minute when Al-Dawsari fired home from close range after goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe could only parry a Marcos Leonardo header.

Al-Hilal made it 3-0 on the 20-minute mark. Milinkovic-Savic smartly headed a cross back into the path of Malcom in the area and the winger made no mistake in shooting past his Brazilian counterpart.

The onslaught continued and the next goal, eight minutes later, was made in Brazil. Kaio Cesar broke free down the right and curled the perfect cross over to the far post, where Leonardo climbed high to head down, just beyond the reach of the diving Grohe.

Al-Kholood had traveled to Riyadh in decent form, five wins from their previous eight games lifting them to mid-table respectability, but on this occasion they must have been happy just to reach half-time without conceding any more.

Ten minutes after the restart, however, Al-Dawsari grabbed his second of the game and his team’s fifth. It followed more great work from Kaio Cesar, who swapped passes with Joao Cancelo down the right and then pulled the ball back for the 2022 Asian Player of the Year to sweep home from close to the penalty spot.

Kholood did manage to get on the score sheet 10 minutes later, thanks to a powerful strike from Abdulrahman Al-Safari, but it was little consolation. By that time the game was well and truly won and Al-Hilal were already thinking of future challenges.

KARACHI: Gloom and demands for wholesale change engulfed cricket-crazy Pakistan on Tuesday after the hosts crashed out of the Champions Trophy in the group stage, barely a week into celebrating the return of a major tournament.
The title-holders lost their opening game to New Zealand by 60 runs in Karachi last week before Sunday’s six-wicket defeat to arch-rivals India pushed them to the brink of an early exit.
Pakistan needed Bangladesh to beat New Zealand on Monday to keep their slim hopes of a place in the semifinals alive, but the result went the other way.
Thursday’s match with Bangladesh in Rawalpindi has been reduced to a dead-rubber.
“We have been backing these players for the last few years but they are not learning nor improving,” former captain Wasim Akram told AFP.
“It is time for a major shake-up. We need to improve our system of domestic cricket so that we can produce quality cricketers, not ordinary ones.”
A lack of competitiveness in domestic cricket and low-quality pitches have been blamed for not preparing players for the international stage.
The sport in Pakistan is also held back by frequent changes to the cricket board, coaching teams and selection panels, critics say.
Such changes are driven by politics and not merit, according to observers.
“I feel very despondent with the state of Pakistan cricket,” former captain Rashid Latif told AFP.

“We have to follow merit and bring in professionals in the administration of the game and not people on a political basis.
“Frequent changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board, selection committee and captains have failed us in forming a proper set-up and team.”
The early elimination stings for a country that had relished hosting its first major cricket tournament in 29 years, after significant improvements in security.
“We were thrilled that an international event had finally returned to our country, but the joy was short-lived,” said 26-year-old Umar Siraj, a pharmacist in Rawalpindi.
“The hardest part of being a Pakistan fan is that you end up praying for other teams to lose,” he chuckled. “It’s painful. I’m gutted.”
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy flop is nothing new. They also crashed out of the 2023 ODI World Cup in the first round in India.
It was followed by their exit at the same stage in the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies last year — a tournament won by neighbors India.
Pakistan last month finished ninth and last in the World Test Championship after drawing a home series with the West Indies.
The latest debacle, and on home soil, represents a new low.
“It is disappointing that they didn’t even put up a fight,” said Naseem Satti, a 46-year-old government servant.
“We have no quality bowlers, no reliable batters and it seems cricket is dead in Pakistan.”
Asma Batool, a 52-year-old housewife, underlined just what cricket means to people in Pakistan.
“Cricket is the only source of entertainment for our youth,” she said.
“Our nation finds solace in this game.”