An exceptional start: the tenth goal gives En-Nesyri the edge over Benzema in the Saudi league

Morocco's Youssef En-Nesyri has outdone his French predecessor Karim Benzema in the Saudi Roshn League. The Al-Ittihad striker got there by scoring his tenth goal in the competition.

Al-Ittihad travelled to Al-Fayha on Friday, playing at the Al-Majma'ah Sports City Stadium in the seventh round of the Roshn League.

En-Nesyri stole the show. The Moroccan struck twice, both goals teed up by his Nigerian teammate George Ilenikhena.

Ten goals in 20 matches. That is En-Nesyri's tally for Al-Ittihad in the Roshn League since arriving from Beşiktaş in the last winter transfer window.

His start puts Benzema in the shade. The Frenchman had carried Al-Ittihad's banner across two and a half seasons following his move from Real Madrid in the summer of 2023, before joining Al-Hilal in the last winter transfer window.

Benzema needed 23 matches to reach his tenth goal for Al-Ittihad in the Roshn League. That milestone came in the 2-1 win over Al-Taawoun, in the second round of the 2024-2025 season.

Fans of "the Tigers" will be dreaming of a repeat of what Benzema achieved when he fired Al-Ittihad to the double of the Roshn League and the King's Cup, the first in the club's history, in the 2024-2025 season.