Al-Hilal thrash Al-Khaleej with five goals: Bono steals the spotlight with a dramatic penalty
Al-Hilal show no mercy
Al-Hilal thrashed their hosts Al-Khaleej 5-1 in a thrilling encounter hosted by the Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium on Friday evening, in the fourth round of the Saudi Roshn Pro League.
Al-Hilal ran the game from the off, an early attacking blitz sealing the three points before the break. The win lifts them to 9 points from a perfect three matches and up to second place. Al-Khaleej stay frozen on 3 points in 13th.
That dominance told inside 15 minutes. Savic whipped in a precise cross from the left flank and Miti met it with a superb header that nestled into the net.
Somerville's troublesome running kept the pressure on, and it brought the second in the 29th minute. The Dutchman jinked his way through and slid a decisive pass to Savic, who fired it straight in.
The hosts hit back fast. Al-Saadi went close in the 36th minute, and two minutes later Al-Khaleej pulled one back. Crispo bore down one-on-one, Bono blocked the initial effort, and Al-Omari followed up to head home.
Al-Hilal's answer was instant. Hernandez restored the two-goal cushion in the 40th minute with a rocket from inside the box, then Somerville capped a brilliant display with the fourth in the 43rd minute, dancing past defender Asiri and rounding the keeper. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Mendes made it five, teasing goalkeeper Morris before rolling the ball comfortably home.
The second half brought more of the same. Mendes nearly grabbed a sixth in the 47th minute, his shot flashing just wide. Somerville threatened again in the 54th and 61st minutes, while Al-Khaleej mustered a Crispo strike that Bono kept out.
Then came the flashpoint. In the 64th minute, Bono rolled a goal kick to Koulibaly, but the Senegalese defender picked the ball up with his hand to reposition it, believing play had not yet started. The referee awarded Al-Khaleej a penalty on the basis that the ball was already moving on the pitch, and VAR backed the call.
Bono had the last word. He saved Barrow's spot-kick in his own inimitable style, protecting his goal and denying Al-Khaleej the chance to close the gap. The score held to the final whistle despite Al-Hilal's push for more, most notably a stoppage-time one-on-one for Somerville that he ended by striking the post.
