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In a thrilling commencement to the Saudi Arabian league, several football luminaries left their mark, with Malcom's stellar performance and Karim Benzema's assist being the major highlights.
Al-Ittihad, the defending champions, relished a 3-0 victory against Al-Raed, propelled by Benzema's significant assist. On the contrary, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr faced a setback, conceding a 2-1 defeat to Steven Gerrard's Ettifaq, handing the celebrated English coach a triumphant start.
The match revealed Sadio Mane, another former Liverpool prodigy, scoring the inaugural goal for Al-Nassr. Mane's goal, and the likes of other renowned players who've recently migrated to the Saudi league, emphasizes the magnetic pull of the hefty salaries provided by Saudi clubs.
The trendsetter, Ronaldo, transferred to Al-Nassr in January and unfortunately sustained an injury during a match against Al-Hilal in the Arab Club Champions Cup finale.
Despite the sweltering 90 F (32 C) heat of Dammam during the evening kickoff, Mane demonstrated his skills, striking a goal just four minutes post kickoff. Ettifaq celebrated goals by Robin Quaison and Moussa Dembele, while Jordan Henderson, the Liverpool legend, fortified Gerrard's squad for the majority of the match.
Although the 26,000-seat Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium wasn't at full capacity, an estimated turnout of 16,000 marked a significant increase from the previous 5,500 average.
In a monumental move, Al-Hilal is purportedly in discussions with Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain. However, it was Malcom, the recent Zenit St.Petersburg signee for an approximated $66 million, who dominated the headlines with his hat trick in a 3-1 victory against Abha.
Jorge Jesus, Al-Hilal's coach, noted, “We came out with a positive result after working hard,” further adding his anticipation for new signings, especially in the forward roles.
Benzema, the star transition from Real Madrid to the Jeddah-based club, was pivotal in setting up the inaugural goal for teammate Abderrazak Hamdallah. Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante, another big-name signing from Chelsea, played a key role in the third goal, leading to Igor Coronado's second goal for the game. Kante's midfield dynamics were further enhanced by Fabinho, Liverpool's recent export to the league.
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