Three hat-tricks helped turn Saudi Pro League Matchweek 12 into a 41-goal round. Cristiano Ronaldo struck three times as Al-Nassr beat Al-Kholood 5-3, Tijjani Reijnders led Al-Qadsiah's 6-0 win at Al-Riyadh, and Yannick Carrasco scored a treble in Al-Shabab's 6-1 victory over Al-Ahli. Yet the last word belonged to Al-Hilal, whose 2-0 win over Al-Fateh put them back on top. Across the nine games, played from 29 to 31 October, there were five home wins, two away wins and two draws. Here is how every game played out, from Thursday's comeback in Dammam to Saturday's change at the summit.
Saudi Pro League Matchweek 12 results at a glance
Saudi Pro League Matchweek 12 results, in kick-off order:
- Al-Khaleej 4-2 Al-Hazem
- Al-Riyadh 0-6 Al-Qadsiah
- Al-Nassr 5-3 Al-Kholood
- Abha 1-1 Al-Ittihad
- Diriyah 1-2 Neom
- Al-Shabab 6-1 Al-Ahli
- Al-Taawoun 1-1 Al-Ettifaq
- Al-Fayha 4-1 Al-Faisaly
- Al-Hilal 2-0 Al-Fateh
Every stat for all 9 games is on the Saudi Pro League Matchweek 12 fixtures and results page.
Al-Khaleej 4-2 Al-Hazem
Al-Khaleej recovered from losing a first-half lead to win a lively opening game of the round. Musa Barrow opened the scoring from a corner on 24 minutes, but Sofiane Bendebka's direct free kick on 39 and Afimico Pululu's goal on 45 sent Al-Hazem into the break 2-1 ahead. The response came almost immediately after the restart, Boubakar Kouyaté equalising on 47. Joshua King then headed the hosts back in front on 73, and Barrow added his second two minutes later to settle a six-goal contest. Al-Khaleej's attacking figures explain why the comeback carried such force: nine shots on target to two, 61 per cent of possession and 2.81 expected goals to 0.85. The win took them to 15 points from 12 games, with three victories. Al-Hazem remained on ten points, having conceded four despite leading at the interval.
Al-Riyadh 0-6 Al-Qadsiah
Tijjani Reijnders scored in both halves and completed his hat-trick near the end as Al-Qadsiah overwhelmed Al-Riyadh. His opener arrived on 18 minutes, followed by Abdullah Al-Salem's goal on 37 for a 2-0 half-time lead. Reijnders struck again on 56, Mahamadou Sangare made it four on 67, and two goals in the closing stages completed the rout: Julián Quiñones on 87 and Reijnders on 89. This was more than a ruthless spell of finishing. Al-Qadsiah registered 27 shots, 14 on target, and created 5.21 expected goals. Al-Riyadh managed 18 attempts of their own but put only four on target, with their chances worth 1.29 expected goals. The visitors ended the round second on 28 points from 12 matches, ahead of Al-Nassr on goal difference. Al-Riyadh stayed on 12 points from 11 games after their fifth defeat.
Al-Nassr 5-3 Al-Kholood
An eight-goal game was still level at half-time before Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in 15 minutes to decide it. Al-Kholood went ahead through Julien Domingues on 16 minutes, Ângelo equalised on 24, and Sadio Mané put Al-Nassr in front on 38. Antoin Loic Essomba brought the visitors level in first-half stoppage time, leaving everything open at 2-2. Ronaldo changed that on 66 minutes, headed his second on 72 and completed his treble on 81. Domingues converted a stoppage-time penalty for his second goal, but Al-Nassr's three points were secure. The hosts had 16 shots to seven and nine on target to five, with 3.66 expected goals against 2.05. It was a productive attacking evening for both sides, but Ronaldo supplied the decisive finishing. Al-Nassr finished the round third on 28 points from 11 games; Al-Kholood had 12 points from the same number.
Abha 1-1 Al-Ittihad
Abha were heading for another defeat when Faisal Al-Sibyani found the equaliser that denied Al-Ittihad victory. A goalless first half had given way to a visitors' lead through Houssem Aouar on 52 minutes, and that advantage lasted until Al-Sibyani struck on 87. Al-Ittihad had more of the ball, with 62 per cent possession, and attempted 491 passes to Abha's 299. They also led the shot count ten to seven and won seven corners to four. Abha, however, put five attempts on target to the visitors' three, enough to show that their limited possession still carried a threat. The draw left Al-Ittihad fourth on 24 points from 11 matches. For Abha, it was a third point of the season, all earned through draws. They remained bottom after 11 games, still waiting for their first league victory.
Diriyah 1-2 Neom
Alexandre Lacazette's 68th-minute winner completed Neom's recovery after Diriyah had taken an early lead. Idrissa Gana Gueye put the hosts ahead on 17 minutes, but Saïd Benrahma's penalty in first-half stoppage time brought Neom level before the break. Lacazette supplied the only goal of the second half, leaving Diriyah without reward despite their 20 shots to Neom's 15. Both sides managed five attempts on target, and the quality of the chances favoured the visitors: 2.00 expected goals against 1.31. Neom also had 59 per cent of possession and attempted 533 passes to Diriyah's 346, giving them a greater share of the game even while they faced more shots. The victory took Neom to fifth on 22 points from 12 matches, one point above Al-Ahli. Diriyah finished the round eighth on 15 points after their fifth defeat.
Al-Shabab 6-1 Al-Ahli
Al-Shabab were ahead inside two minutes and never let Al-Ahli recover in a game shaped by an early red card and three penalties. Ricardo Mathias scored the opener, then Abdulrahman Al Sanbi was sent off on 22 minutes. Yannick Carrasco made it 2-0 with a direct free kick on 25, and Roger Martínez converted a penalty on 37. Firas Al-Buraikan pulled one back on 40, but Mathias headed in his second on 48 to restore the three-goal cushion. Carrasco then scored penalties on 66 and 82 minutes to complete his hat-trick. Al-Shabab's 62 per cent possession and 4.36 expected goals to 0.93 underline how little respite the ten men found. The hosts finished the round tenth on 14 points from 11 games. Al-Ahli remained on 21 points from 11, dropping behind Neom into sixth after a bruising evening.
Al-Taawoun 1-1 Al-Ettifaq
Al-Taawoun's wait for a league win continued after Abdullah Khateeb headed a 90th-minute equaliser for Al-Ettifaq. Abderazak Hamdallah had put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot on 26 minutes, and they held that lead through the rest of the first half and almost all of the second. Al-Ettifaq's pressure was substantial: 65 per cent of possession, 16 shots to five and ten corners to one. They also put five shots on target to two, with their chances worth 2.08 expected goals against Al-Taawoun's 1.32. The late header meant the visitors left with a point after spending much of the game chasing one. Al-Ettifaq finished seventh on 19 points from 12 matches. Al-Taawoun stayed 17th on five points, with five draws and seven defeats from their 12 games. A first victory had been within reach, but it slipped away at the last.
Al-Fayha 4-1 Al-Faisaly
Al-Fayha turned an early setback into a convincing scoreline, with four unanswered goals against Al-Faisaly. Abdulrahman Al-Safri headed the visitors ahead on 30 minutes, but Fashion Sakala equalised on 43 to send the sides in level. Ziyad Al-Sahafi's header on 57 put Al-Fayha in front, Jason made it 3-1 on 66, and Hugo Moura added the fourth in stoppage time. The margin was much wider than the balance of chances: Al-Fayha created 1.26 expected goals against 1.13, and Al-Faisaly actually had one more shot, 17 to 16. The hosts were more effective where it mattered, putting six efforts on target to five and taking control of the scoring after half-time. Their second league win lifted Al-Fayha to 11 points from 12 games, above Al-Faisaly's ten. The sides ended the round 13th and 15th respectively.
Al-Hilal 2-0 Al-Fateh
The final game returned Al-Hilal to first place, although they had to wait until stoppage time to make the scoreline comfortable. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring on 12 minutes, and that remained the only goal until Rúben Neves converted a penalty in added time. Between those goals, Al-Hilal controlled the contest. They had 68 per cent of possession, 23 shots to four and 13 corners to two. Al-Fateh did not put a shot on target, while the hosts managed six, a clearer reflection of the game's direction than the narrow lead they held for so long. Al-Hilal's tenth win from 11 matches took them to 30 points, two clear of Al-Qadsiah and Al-Nassr. Al-Fateh finished 16th on six points from 12 games, with one win, three draws and eight defeats. The visitors left without a goal or a point.
Saudi Pro League table after Matchweek 12, and what comes next
Al-Hilal lead the Saudi Pro League table on 30 points, with Al-Qadsiah and Al-Nassr both on 28. Al-Qadsiah have played 12 games, one more than the other two, so games in hand remain part of the picture. At the bottom, Al-Fateh have six points, Al-Taawoun five and Abha three; Abha have played 11 games to the others' 12. Matchweek 13 starts on Thursday 5 November, when Al-Qadsiah host Al-Fayha. Friday brings Al-Hazem v Al-Nassr, before the leaders visit Al-Ettifaq on Saturday in Al-Ettifaq v Al-Hilal. The leading trio therefore play on three successive days. The full programme is on our Saudi Pro League fixtures page.
