Another round in the Roshn Saudi League produced yet another acrobatic moment to savour, as an astonishing bicycle-style finish lit up Thursday night in Riyadh.
Another round in the Roshn Saudi League produced yet another acrobatic moment to savour, as an astonishing bicycle-style finish lit up Thursday night in Riyadh.
Following memorable overhead strikes earlier this season from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kingsley Coman, it was Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who provided the latest piece of magic, levelling the score for table-toppers Al Hilal against Al Fayha with a breathtaking effort.
That moment proved the turning point, as the hosts surged clear to claim a convincing 4-1 success, stretching their winning run in the competition to 13 matches and restoring a seven-point cushion at the top.
Al Nassr, led by Ronaldo, remains among the nearest pursuers, alongside an in-form Al Ahli inspired by Ivan Toney, while Al Qadsiah and Pericles Chamusca’s resilient Al Taawoun continue to apply pressure further back.
Despite falling behind to a surprise opener from Fashion Sakala, the reigning champions quickly reasserted control, showing once again why they are currently regarded as the benchmark side in the league.
Milinkovic-Savic’s equaliser at Kingdom Arena shifted the momentum decisively, setting the stage for a dominant second-half display that swept Al Fayha aside.
Having lifted the title in historic fashion last season, Al Hilal appear equally relentless this time around, combining consistency with moments of individual brilliance.
The spectacular nature of the 37th-minute finish carried extra meaning for Milinkovic-Savic, who has long admired former Ajax and AC Milan icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Speaking after the match, the Serbian midfielder explained that he draws inspiration from Ibrahimovic’s mindset and self-belief, admitting he did not anticipate executing the strike so cleanly.
He added that such an attempt was unfamiliar territory, particularly given his height, and acknowledged the difficulty of producing a goal of that kind.
While delighted with the outcome, Milinkovic-Savic was cautious about repeating the feat, joking that it remains to be seen whether he will ever manage another finish quite like it.
