Al-Hilal edge the classic against Ittihad with three goals to two, strengthening their lead in the Saudi Pro League

Al-Hilal secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Al-Ittihad in the top match of the eighth round of the Saudi Pro League, continuing their lead at the top of the table, while Al-Ittihad suffered another setback in the race for the top positions.

Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring for Al-Hilal in the 11th minute, before Youssef En-Nesyri brought Ittihad back into the match with an equaliser in the 22nd minute, but Ollie Watkins restored the leader's advantage in the 30th minute.

Crysencio Summerville extended Al-Hilal's lead with a third goal in the 64th minute, after he bypassed the Ittihad defense and successfully shot into the net. The blue team missed other chances, most notably a shot from Simon Bouapry that hit the crossbar.

Ittihad refused to give up, and Steven Bergwijn succeeded in reducing the deficit with a penalty in the 89th minute, but the efforts of the team could not yield an equalizer, allowing Al-Hilal to emerge victorious from a match that held its breath until the final moments.

Al-Hilal have increased their tally to 21 points, maintaining their position at the top of the Saudi Pro League, while Ittihad's points remain at 17, dropping them to fourth place, in the conclusion of a classic match filled with excitement and goals until the final whistle.