The Capital Derby carried weight long before kickoff, but its decisive moment arrived deep into the second half with the contest finely balanced. Al Nassr, chasing to protect their early-season dominance, had reached the 80th minute level at 1-1 when Ruben Neves prepared to take a corner.
The Capital Derby carried weight long before kickoff, but its decisive moment arrived deep into the second half with the contest finely balanced. Al Nassr, chasing to protect their early-season dominance, had reached the 80th minute level at 1-1 when Ruben Neves prepared to take a corner.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s finish just before the interval had given Al Nassr the advantage, yet Al Hilal cancelled it out from the spot after Mohamed Simakan fouled Malcom. The aftermath of Salem Al Dawsari’s successful penalty escalated into chaos, ending with goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi dismissed for striking Neves, leaving the visitors a man short.
Under increasing pressure and with time slipping away, Neves once again took responsibility from the corner area. Seconds after the delivery was partially cleared, the Portuguese midfielder regained possession and sent the ball back into the box, where substitute Mohammed Kanno redirected it into the net.
From that instant, momentum never shifted back. Following extended stoppage time, Al Hilal completed a 3-1 victory that pushed them seven points clear at the summit after 15 league matches.
After the final whistle, Al Nassr manager Jorge Jesus delivered a blunt assessment of his side’s recent decline. While acknowledging the experience and maturity of Al Hilal, a squad he previously shaped, he pointed to emotional instability as a defining weakness.
Jesus explained that his former players are accustomed to handling decisive moments calmly, a trait he believes separates the two rivals. According to him, Al Nassr’s squad failed to maintain discipline when pressure increased, something he described as unacceptable at this level.
He also referenced recent disruptions, including Sadio Mane’s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations and Simakan’s injury, suggesting those setbacks affected balance and confidence. However, he stressed that technical mistakes can be forgiven, whereas lapses in discipline cannot.
For Jesus, the red card following the conceded penalty symbolised the broader problem. In his view, losing control handed the referee justification to intervene and ultimately shifted the derby irreversibly.
On the opposite bench, Simone Inzaghi left the arena with satisfaction. The Italian surprised observers by switching to a back three for the first time this season, a structure familiar from his time at Inter Milan.
Moteb Al Harbi and Hassan Al Tambakti flanked Neves in defence, allowing Theo Hernandez and Hamad Al Yami to advance aggressively from wide areas. The approach paid dividends early, as Al Hilal asserted control through energy and width.
Inzaghi later revealed that rotation played a key role in his selection. With the derby marking Al Hilal’s fifth match in 17 days, he prioritised freshness, starting several players who had been rested in the previous league outing against Damac.
That strategy proved decisive over the closing stages, as Al Hilal outlasted their rivals physically and mentally, extending their winning streak and underlining their growing authority.
Even from a deeper role, Ruben Neves remained central to everything Al Hilal produced. His delivery created Kanno’s goal, and he later converted a penalty in injury time to seal the result.
The performance earned him Player of the Match honours and an outstanding Performance Index Rating of 96. It also embodied the sense of inevitability surrounding Al Hilal’s current run.
With 19 consecutive victories across all competitions, the league momentum now clearly favours the blue half of Riyadh. For Al Nassr, winless in four league matches, the challenge is no longer chasing the lead but stabilising their season before further ground is lost.
