Al-Hilal missed the opportunity to go top of the Saudi Pro League as they drew 1-1 with Al-Taawoun, with the two teams trading penalties late in the first half.
Simone Inzaghi’s men knew a victory would move them ahead of Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr at the summit, at least temporarily, ahead of the latter facing Al-Najma on Wednesday.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic cannoned a free-kick off the left-hand post in the 22nd minute, but the visitors did hit the front via a Ruben Neves spot-kick four minutes before half-time, following Mohammed Mahzari’s foul on Theo Hernandez.
However, their lead was wiped out in first-half stoppage time, with Roger Martinez rolling into the bottom-left corner from 12 yards after Milinkovic-Savic was penalised for handball.
Al-Hilal dominated possession throughout the second half, but it was Al-Taawoun that came closest to a winner when Muteb Al Mufarrij miscued a close-range header.
The draw leaves Al-Hilal one point adrift of leaders Al-Ahli, but an Al-Nassr victory on Wednesday would leave them three points off the summit. Al Taawoun remain fifth.
Data Debrief: Al-Hilal hoodoo halted by Al-Taawoun
Al-Hilal had won their last five Pro League matches against Al-Taawoun by an aggregate score of 13-0, coming into this match.
But Al-Taawoun frustrated the title hopes of Inzaghi’s side, who had 20 shots to their hosts’ six but only narrowly won the expected goals (xG) battle, by 1.87 to 1.44.
This was the eighth Pro League game this season to see both teams score a penalty, and the first of those to feature Al-Hilal (second for Al-Taawoun).
Martinez, the scorer of Al-Taawoun’s spot-kick, has now netted 10 Pro League goals in 2026 – only Ivan Toney (17) and Julian Quinones (15) have more.