Saudi League: How It Looks After Ronaldo Strikes Again, Benzema Bags Hattrick As Hilal Remain on Top

Al-Hilal further solidified their position at the top of the Saudi Pro League with a hard-fought win against high-flying Al Taawoun just before the international break.

Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his excellent goal-scoring form in the Holy City of Mecca, bringing his season tally to 13 goals. At the same time, his former Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema, secured his debut hat-trick in the Saudi top flight.

In other fixtures, Al Ettifaq struggled to a goalless draw at Al Fayha, while big spenders Al Ahli surrendered a two-nil lead to settle for a draw with Damac.

Here is a comprehensive overview of the exciting matches that unfolded during the 13th round of the Saudi top division.

Recap of match day 13 results

The reigning champions, Al-Ittihad, ended their five-game winless streak with a triumphant return to form, courtesy of captain Karim Benzema's inaugural hat trick in the Saudi Pro League, as cited by GOAL.

Under the interim management of Hassan Khalifa, who stepped up from his role as assistant coach after Nuno Espirito Santo's dismissal, Benzema's three goals, coupled with a brilliant assist, secured a 4-2 victory.

This marked the ex-Real Madrid captain's first goal since October 31 in the King's Cup and his first in the Saudi top flight following a 2-2 draw with Al Hazem five days earlier.

Rivals Al Ahli faced an unexpected setback as they relinquished a two-nil lead against Damac at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.

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Football

Despite Riyad Mahrez's early assist to Abdulbasit Hindi and Sumayhan Alnabit doubling the lead before halftime, Damac maintained their unbeaten head-to-head record against Al Ahli, extending the streak to six matches in total (W3 D3).

The standout fixture heading into the international break featured league leaders Al Hilal against high-flying Al Taawoun in Riyadh.

Breaking the deadlock in the 81st minute, red-hot Serbian striker Aleksander Mitrovic scored in his fourth consecutive game in the Saudi League, spurring his side to a crucial win.

Mohamed Kanno added to the scoreline in additional time, preserving the Blue Waves' unbeaten status after 13 games.

According to MARCA, Cristiano Ronaldo continued his goal-scoring streak against Al Wehda in Mecca, inspiring Al-Nassr to a 3-1 victory at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium.

Before Ronaldo's strike, former Manchester United defender Alex Telles netted his maiden Saudi League goal with a spectacular free-kick.

Abdulelah Al Amri scored his first goal in almost two years, establishing a commanding lead for the Knights of Najd at halftime. Despite a consolation goal from veteran Brazilian midfielder Anselmo Anselmo, the Riyadh giants secured a 3-1 win.

Meanwhile, Al Ettifaq, under Steven Gerrard's management, missed the presence of striker Moussa Dembele, resulting in a decreased win percentage of 25% over the last four matches in the SPL.

This contrasted with a 63% win rate when Dembele participated in the first eight matches as Ettifaq shared the spoils with Al Fayha, maintaining an unbeaten head-to-head record in the Saudi top flight (W6 D5) despite the disappointing result.

Saudi League standings

Heading into the November international break, the top two positions in the Saudi top flight remain consistent, with Al-Hilal firmly leading the league standings, amassing an impressive 35 points from 13 matches.

Last season's runners-up, Al-Nassr, renowned as the most prolific side in the division thus far with 36 goals, closely trail their Riyadh neighbours with a respectable 31 points, trailing the Blue Waves by four points, per Saudi Gazette.

Al Ahli and Al Taawoun swapped positions, with the Jeddah-based club ascending to third despite their disappointing draw with Damac. Al Taawoun, winless in their last two games, fell to fourth after their defeat against Hilal.

Defending champions Al Ittihad, who halted their winless streak over the weekend, climbed to the fifth position with 24 points, sharing the same tally as the sixth-placed side, Al Fateh. However, the former's superior goal difference maintains their one-step advantage.

Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq is in the seventh spot after recently moving to their new state-of-the-art stadium, boasting 22 points and averaging 1.69 points per game.

The bottom three clubs maintain their positions, with Al Okhdood holding on to 16th place with 10 points. Al Hazem and Al Raed traded places, as the latter recorded a surprising win against Al Shabab, marking their first victory in five games.