Al-Najma 2–4 Al-Hilal: Neves Turns the Tide in Dramatic Victory
Ruben Neves experienced a night of highs and lows as Al-Hilal maintained their unbeaten start to the Saudi Pro League with a comeback 4–2 win over nine-man Al-Najma.
Match Summary
Al-Najma stunned the visitors early when Yassine Bounou’s misjudged clearance allowed Lazaro to score from distance into an open net. However, Salem Al-Dawsari quickly equalized with a powerful finish past Victor Braga.
The match turned heated in the second half. Lazaro was shown a straight red card in the 58th minute for violent conduct, but Al-Najma regained the lead moments later when Neves accidentally turned the ball into his own net.
Al-Hilal leveled again after Al-Dawsari set up Theo Hernandez for a composed finish into the bottom-right corner. The decisive moment arrived in the 76th minute when Jawad El Yamiq was dismissed for a last-man foul, and Neves redeemed himself by converting the resulting free-kick.
In the dying minutes, Al-Dawsari capped off his excellent performance by calmly rounding Braga to score, while Malcom nearly added a fifth when his effort struck the post in stoppage time.
Key Quotes
“Neves went from villain to hero as Al-Hilal fought back twice to secure another impressive win.”
Final Score
- Al-Najma 2 (Lazaro, Neves OG)
- Al-Hilal 4 (Al-Dawsari 2, Hernandez, Neves)
Author’s summary: Neves redeemed his earlier mistake with a brilliant free-kick as Al-Hilal overturned two deficits to defeat a shorthanded Al-Najma 4–2.