Saudi League Standings As Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Rise to 2nd, Al Ittihad Drop More Points

• Slowly but gradually, the men are being separated from the boys as the Saudi Pro League game week 11 unfolded over the weekend
• Al-Nassr rose to the second position while Jeddah-based clubs Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli continue to see further decline
• Here's an overview of the latest events from the ongoing Saudi Pro League season after match day 11

Al-Hilal, setting the early tempo, narrowly clinched victory against Al Ahli in a highly anticipated clash, affirming their steady progression despite missing the influential presence of marquee summer signing Neymar Jr.

Conversely, the fortunes differed for the teams led by Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. While Al-Nassr took their winning run to three games across all competitions, Al Ittihad experienced contrasting results, making the league's dynamics even more intriguing.

Let's delve into a detailed rundown of the thrilling encounters witnessed during match day 11 in the SPL.

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Recap of match day 11 results

The mighty Al-Hilal, boasting 18 championship victories, maintained their stellar performance in the current season, securing a commanding 3-1 triumph over Al Ahli, as cited by Arab News.

The Serbian duo of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic demonstrated their prowess yet again, finding the net for the second consecutive game, steering the Blue Waves to their seventh consecutive victory across various competitions.

However, Al Ahli's fortunes took a downturn, marking their second consecutive defeat in Riyadh, having previously suffered a loss against Al-Nassr.

Meanwhile, the defending champions, Al-Ittihad, grappled with a continued slump in form, relinquishing a lead to settle for a 2-2 draw against the lower-ranked Al Hazem, Saudi Gazette reports.

Despite Karim Benzema securing his fifth goal in nine matches for Ittihad, the visiting team rallied back, ensuring a deadlock.

In a parallel match, Al-Nassr triumphed over Al Feiha, with Anderson Talisca scoring twice, closely monitoring their city rivals and current league leaders, Al-Hilal.

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Conversely, although Ronaldo's impressive goal-scoring streak ended on match day 11, his involvement in Talisca's opening goal was evident, as he provided the Brazilian with an assist, per Sporting News.

While the Knights of Najd celebrated their success, the underdog surprise for the campaign, Al Taawoun, faced consecutive draws, echoing their 1-1 stalemate against Al Ittihad with a similar outcome against Al Khaleej.

In Mecca, Steven Gerrard's Al Etiffaq rebounded from two consecutive defeats against Al Fateh and Al Riyadh, clinching a thrilling 3-2 victory on the road.

Former Liverpool and PSG star Georginio Wijnaldum stole the spotlight, contributing two goals, while Damarai Gray sealed the victory with a decisive strike.

Saudi League standings

There has been a slight shuffle in the top three rankings after match day 11, as Al-Nassr and Al Taawoun exchanged places, while Al-Hilal continues to dominate the league standings.

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The Blue Waves stand as the sole undefeated team in the Saudi top division, firmly securing the top spot with 29 points garnered from 11 matches.

Following closely, the Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr side trails by four points, holding the second position with 25 points.

Despite a couple of underwhelming draws, this season's high-flyers Al Taawoun currently occupies the third spot with 24 points, as Al Fateh climbed two places to seize the fourth position, amassing a total of 23 points.

Regrettably, the prominent clubs from Jeddah, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, having initially shown great promise, now find themselves in the fifth and sixth positions, respectively.

Regarding the relegation battle, there's been a slight turn of events. Al Hazem (17th) and Al Raed (18th) maintain their positions, while Al Akhdoud moves into the perilous 16th position. Al Khaleej, Abha, and Al Tai hover precariously around the relegation zone, each holding 10 points.