Roshn Saudi League
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00:00Hello, I'm Martin Fisher. Welcome to the Kingdom Arena, round seven of the Saudi Pro League.
00:13It's the champions, Al-Hilal versus Al-Fire. And joining me for commentary on this one, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.
00:20On paper, Courtney, a bit of a mismatch, this top V14.
00:23Yeah, it is, and especially you look at, historically, Al-Hilal's form in terms of not just this season, but last season.
00:30A very tough side to try and break down and score in lots of goals, so they are certainly the favourites to go and win this game.
00:37Six wins out of six for Al-Hilal. They look unstoppable again. Just five points on the board for Al-Fire.
00:44Al-Fire in the chain strip. The Hall-Whites get us underway. Attacking the goal away to our left.
00:56Remember, they got a point away to Al-Hilal last season. That was very early on.
01:02I think it was the first away game they had last season, and it was the only time that Al-Hilal didn't win at home in the league.
01:09Again, he's trying to drift in behind the full-back Al-Rashidi. Decent ball in, and there is the opening goal.
01:20It's Leonardo, the Brazilian, possibly his first touch of the night. Within five minutes, the league leaders, the champions, are on their way.
01:28Al-Hilal won, Al-Fire nil. Spoke about Neves. Quickly moves the ball on, and then it's this inside run in the channel.
01:36And the ball across is perfect. Just opens his body out, lets it come across him.
01:41And he probably won't score an easier goal all season, but you've got to be in the right place at the right time.
01:47And he was there, and it's a positive start for Al-Hilal.
01:51We might still open up here for the chance at the back post. It was Alder Sarri who didn't give it up,
02:01and forced us a save out of Alder Cael, whose initial clearance was the cause of that issue.
02:08Dropped here for Pozzuolo. Almost found its way through for Saqqala. It might still. Lopez has fed the Zambian up against Renan Lodi.
02:17He's got a shot away, and it's safely handled there by Al-Yami,
02:21because a spillage there might have opened it up for Lopez, who was hovering.
02:30Alder Sarri. Mitrovic.
02:36Alder Sarri trying the ball skills, sprawling heads away.
02:39Milinkovic, Savic, back post is Leonardo, against the post.
02:44And the goalkeeper gets lucky as it bounces into his gloves, fumbles,
02:48but gets hold of it before Mitrovic can pounce.
02:51Cabani, Pozzuolo, the flag stays down for now.
03:00And square now for Lopez.
03:03And now the flag goes up.
03:05It was a terrific last-ditch challenge by Abelahi, but it wasn't needed in the end.
03:09It did look well enough, didn't it, when the ball was played through.
03:12Ciccala dispossessed by Cancelo, who went for goal himself.
03:21Undercal just flicks it on.
03:24I was expecting that ball to go back across the box and maybe a tap in,
03:29but he thinks he can take it on throughout Cancelo,
03:33and you can't blame him for trying, and he does draw a very good save.
03:40Oh, that's clever.
03:42And it's Malcolm!
03:45That was close.
03:47That's the beautiful bit.
03:49And it was nearly finished off with something equally as beautiful,
03:52but then just shades past both the crossbar and the post.
03:58That's not a bad ball in.
03:59Koulibaly couldn't get to it, and the shot is just wide from Lopez.
04:03Took it early, the Uruguayan, and very nearly sneaked it at the far post.
04:07That was terrific from Ciccala.
04:16Cancelo, Milinkovic, Savic.
04:20Cancelo will keep it in, and the header is in.
04:25Salam Aldoussari makes it too.
04:30Wonderful play from Cancelo.
04:34And that might be the goal that clinches the game.
04:41Look at this, the tenacity to get on the ball.
04:43I think if the keeper looked at that again, he'd probably be a little bit disappointed.
04:48He gets dragged over to try and assess where the ball's coming from the right-hand side from Cancelo.
04:54But he does ever so well because he probably recognises that the goalkeeper's coming back where his weight shifted.
05:02Head it back across the goal where it's come from.
05:05Wrong foot the keeper.
05:06And not just off this second half performance, but mostly on the first, Al Halal do deserve that 2-0 lead, but it was close in the first moments of this second half.
05:16Look at it flex on its way through, and it's a good stop in the end by Al Yami, who is going the other way.
05:26He managed to move his feet quickly enough, didn't he, just to try and change direction.
05:31This is what I'm talking about sometimes, it just takes something a little bit like that.
05:35Fortuitous to find a goal, but for Al Halal and Al Yami, luckily for them they were the right side of it that time.
05:43And Malcolm is quick and he's got support to his right-hand side.
05:48He's picked a decent pass, and the shot is in the bottom corner, wonderful finish by Al Qatani.
05:54Counter-attacking at its thrilling best, Al Qatani off the bench, what an assist from Malcolm.
06:01It's 3-0, Al Halal, it's three more points for Al Halal.
06:13All eyes now on the referee as he checks his watch, whistle to mouth and blows for time.
06:21Leonardo with the first on five minutes, setting Al Halal on their way.
06:26Couldn't take a plethora of chances that they created in that second period.
06:30Start of the second half, the visitors had the opportunities.
06:34Two came for Lopez and he couldn't put either away,
06:38and then Al Halal found the killer second through Baldessari, the captain,
06:42and then a third through one of their subs, Al Qatani.
06:45Another convincing display from the champions, Courtney.
06:48Yeah, it was, but you're right in terms of Alfaya and those couple of chances that Lopez has.
06:54If he puts one of those away, it's 1-1 and we might have a completely different game on our hands,
06:59but we did an Al Halal in the end showing their experience, their quality.
07:04And I think for the game as a whole, they are certainly deserved winners for all the opportunities that they created.
07:11So seven wins on the spin for Al Halal. It finishes Al Halal three, Alfaya nil.
07:41One wins for four.
07:44One wins.
07:46Well, our team once moreヒット will win.
07:49Let's go in, same way.
07:51A little wins.
07:52Two wins.
07:53One wins.
07:54Seven wins.
07:55One wins.
07:56Two wins.
07:58Eight wins.
07:59Many wins.