Al Hilal and Al Ittihad squared battle in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup quarterfinals in January 2025, in a much-anticipated match. Fans eager to see this intense rivalry paid close attention to the game, which was played in Jeddah's Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium. Both clubs had a lot riding on them going into the game. Al Hilal, who had previously won the Saudi Super Cup earlier in the season, wanted to retain their title and continue chasing a local hat-trick. As two of Saudi Arabia's most successful football clubs competed fiercely, the match was sure to be exciting and dramatic.
Summary of the Match: Both teams showcased their attacking prowess right from the start of the match. In the eighth minute, Abdul Razzaq Hamdallah found the back of the net for Al-Ittihad, but after a VAR review, the goal was ruled offside. Al-Hilal quickly responded when Michel Delgado scored in the 25th minute, following a brilliant build-up that featured key contributions from Malcolm and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
As the match progressed, both sides exchanged goals during normal and extra time, highlighting the fierce rivalry between these two clubs. Karim Benzema put Al-Ittihad ahead in the 63rd minute, only for Salem Al-Dawsari to equalize for Al-Hilal just nine minutes later. The tension escalated as both teams fought hard, with Al-Hilal's second equalizer keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout this thrilling encounter.
Shootout Penalty: After extra time, the score was knotted at 2-2, thus penalties were used. Al-Hilal won the shootout 4-3 because they showed poise under duress and converted all of their penalties while Al-Ittihad missed one important attempt.
Implications: Al-Hilal's victory not only puts them in the semi-finals but also solidifies their hold on Al-Ittihad this year. This victory solidified Al-Hilal's position as one of Saudi Arabia's top football teams, as they had already defeated them numerous times in league games and the AFC Champions League.
On January 8, 2025, Al-Hilal will now play the victor of the match between Al-Nasr and Al-Khaleej. After winning the Saudi Super Cup and presently leading the Saudi Professional League, the team has high hopes for a possible local hat-trick this season.
In conclusion, the tremendous stakes of domestic football in the Kingdom were demonstrated by this thrilling and dramatic quarterfinal matchup between two of Saudi Arabia's most illustrious clubs.
