Roshn Saudi League
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00:00The biggest game of the season so far in the Roshan Saudi League, the top two meeting head-on,
00:18and it's Al Halal wearing all blue, defending the goal away to our left-hand side in the first half.
00:25Don Hutcherson is alongside me, and so often we've seen Al Halal make quick starts and win the game very rapidly,
00:32and it's important for Al Etihad that they don't make the same mistake,
00:35but they come forward themselves in the opening seconds, and what a sensational start!
00:40Moussa Dayavik putting the ball into the back of the net, but the flag was raised, and the celebrations were stalled.
00:48Well, that's an early warning to Al Halal if they're going to try and play a high line with no pressure on the ball.
00:53Yeah, he's just ran a fraction earlier there, Moussa Dayavik, needed to be a little bit more patient with his run,
00:58but that is a fast start from the away side, shame the goal will not stand.
01:02But the flag was very quickly up, and it was the correct decision.
01:11Aldoussa Dayavik, and now Malcolm, first opportunity for him to attack, and then the header is in from Mitrovic, one chance, one goal from Alexander Mitrovic.
01:25He haunted Al Etihad throughout the whole of last season, and he's doing the same again with less than three minutes played here.
01:33Incredible. I mean, they are obviously carrying scar tissue, Al Etihad, from not beating Al Halal last season,
01:39but they started quite well, had a goal disallowed from Moussa Dayavik running offside,
01:44but this team are so dependent on Alexander Mitrovic.
01:50Malcolm...
01:52...Moussa Cancelo.
01:58Malcolm holding the width.
02:00Moussa Cancelo is in behind, it's blocked by Reykjavik.
02:03Pinball inside the penalty area for a second, and now Malcolm with the curler,
02:07and it almost goes in off Malinkovic Savage.
02:10Well, they look very shaky, Al Etihad at the back.
02:13They look a little bit nervy.
02:19Here is the counter-attack from Aldoussa.
02:21And he is chopped down by N'Golo Kante, and that will be the game's first yellow card.
02:27That was very wild, that tackle from N'Golo Kante.
02:31Aldoussa.
02:32Aldoussa.
02:34Trapped Shankiti back, and then broke, got on the ball, drove inside, Kante.
02:40Malinkovic Savage will hit it!
02:42Reykjavik beats it away.
02:44And Aldoussa was quickly on to the rebound, but it scrambled to safety.
02:48Yeah, Reykjavik has been very busy 12 minutes in.
02:51One goal going in against him, but he's made two really good saves in the game.
02:57Aldoussa playing the ball short, and the cross in towards the near post.
03:02And it's guided clear, but it's quickly coming back.
03:04The challenge, and that will be a penalty.
03:08Al Amri taking out Reyyan Lodi.
03:12He's quick to appeal, but Al Halal, on first viewing, have the opportunity to double their lead.
03:20In a penalty kick.
03:21And Mitrovic here, up against Reykjavik.
03:26Mitrovic makes no mistake.
03:29And Al Halal are making short work at the Saudi Classico once again.
03:342-0.
03:35Al Etihad are falling apart early on, first 15 minutes of the game.
03:38It's the nightmare start, the 2-0 behind.
03:41But Al Halal have come out the traps absolutely on fire.
03:48Mitrovic bags his brace.
03:49Very, very naive defending going on.
03:53Al Etihad.
03:57Here is Renan Lodi.
03:58Forward again.
03:59Marcus Llorente was looking for the shorter ball.
04:01It's back towards Malcolm.
04:02He lays the ball down.
04:03Malinkovic Savic was looking to tee up Mitrovic again.
04:08Danilo with the challenge.
04:10Well, how good's this start being, though?
04:11They are absolutely flowing Al Halal.
04:14He plays a wonderful football.
04:17Here is Al Shankiti.
04:19Benzema.
04:22Bergwijn delivering the cross, which is deflected behind by Lodi.
04:26And it's the first corner for Al Etihad.
04:30Benzema will be one of the targets.
04:34Flighted in.
04:36Cleared initially.
04:37And there is Benzema!
04:38Beaten away by Bono.
04:40And the cross back into the penalty area.
04:42Anton Bakhti will head the ball away.
04:44But the flag is up for offside.
04:46But Yassim Bono called into action there.
04:49Good save.
04:50As soon as it fell to Benzema on his right foot,
04:52once it was laid off, you could see what he was going for.
04:54Top right-hand corner.
04:57Goalkeeper just about read it.
04:58Good footwork.
04:59Important save.
05:00Aldersawi now comes forward.
05:03Renan Lodi with the cross.
05:04And Malcolm, good save by Reykjavik.
05:07All their starting points.
05:08Al Halal have came down their left-hand side.
05:10Aldersawi and Renan Lodi.
05:12And look at that for a ball as well.
05:21And here is an opportunity to make it three.
05:24And that is absolutely brilliant from Salim Aldersawi.
05:28The captain delivers.
05:30And one of Saudi Arabia's finest lights up the Saudi Classico.
05:37Kadesh.
05:38That's a good cross in.
05:39Headed down to Benzema, who scores.
05:43But the flag has been raised.
05:44Yeah, I don't think it's Karim Benzema that was offside.
05:49I think it was from the cross in.
05:51I almost fancied of them.
05:52Once it got knocked down, even onto his left foot,
05:54he fancied Benzema to finish it off.
05:56But that's where Al Halal have kept their line.
05:59Correct call from the linesman.
06:01Milinkovic, Savic.
06:10Mitrovic!
06:14In the end, he's penalised.
06:16And he's still labouring for that hat-trick.
06:19He wants it badly.
06:20Don't blame him.
06:21Don't blame him.
06:27You could make a case to say that Al Etihad
06:29have looked a beaten side from about the third minute,
06:31but here is Moussa Diaby breaking into the penalty area,
06:35but his touch just took him too close to Bona,
06:38who's able to make the save.
06:44Here is Moussa Diaby, streaking clear now,
06:47and Benzema will score.
06:51And those Al Etihad fans do have a goal to celebrate.
06:56Well, that's the service he wants.
06:58He can't miss Benzema.
07:00Moussa Diaby was brave because he got whacked down from behind
07:03and a bad tackle.
07:04Referee done the right thing by playing the advantage.
07:07That's twice in the last sort of ten minutes
07:09they've figured out how to get Moussa Diaby in behind.
07:13Clever little ball.
07:14Watch his tackle here on him.
07:16It's not a pretty one.
07:18He does the right thing putting it on a plate for Karim Benzema.
07:21It was Al Amri who caught him late.
07:23It would have been a penalty, I think,
07:25had Benzema not scored.
07:27Colo Conte running behind here from Al Sherry.
07:36Need some support here, and he gets it.
07:39The cross in towards Benzema!
07:41And Benzema again!
07:42But the flag is raised.
07:45Third disallowed goal.
07:50Must be tight.
07:51It would be unlike Karim Benzema to run into an offside position.
07:55He's a mile off in the end, he should try and work harder to get onside.
08:04It's a very well-drilled offside trap.
08:06You can see there, even though the cross was about to come in,
08:10they all pushed out.
08:15That's the boring stuff you do on the training ground.
08:21Some teams do it with a rope, and they all have to basically come out.
08:25But that's it.
08:28The Saudi Classico, once again, is owned by Al Halal.
08:36Six wins out of six last season.
08:39And a comprehensive victory here tonight.
08:42All the damage done in the first half.
08:45Two early goals from Aleksandr Mitrovic.
08:47The second of those are penalty.
08:49A brilliant counter-attacking goal.
08:55A brilliant counter-attacking goal.
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