Neom End Al-Hilal’s 47-Game Unbeaten League Run with 2-0 Riyadh Win

Al-Hilal’s unbeaten league run of more than a year ended on Monday as Neom claimed a 2-0 win in Riyadh, handing Simone Inzaghi his first domestic defeat since taking charge.

The 19-time Saudi champions had opened the new Saudi Pro League season with five straight victories and remained top of the table despite the setback. But a disastrous first half left their expensive new-look attack with too much to recover.

Kalidou Koulibaly put through his own net to give Neom the early advantage, before Ivory Coast midfielder Amadou Kone struck shortly before half-time to make it 2-0.

Inzaghi accepts responsibility

Inzaghi, who left Inter Milan for Al-Hilal in June 2025, had not previously lost a domestic match in Saudi Arabia. He said the result was painful and accepted full responsibility after his side fell short before the break.

“The management have done a great job and we are still leading the standings, but I do not blame the players,” Inzaghi said.

He added that Al-Hilal did not perform at the required level in the first half, while their stronger second-half display did not produce the goals needed for a comeback.

“This is my first defeat in Saudi Arabia since arriving. We must learn from it. I take responsibility, and defeats like this bring players back to reality,” he said.

Summer forwards fail to find breakthrough

Inzaghi started Gabriel Martinelli, Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville, the three Premier League arrivals signed during the summer for a reported combined fee exceeding $200 million.

Yet Al-Hilal could not beat Neom, exposing an unusually blunt performance in the final third as well as the defensive mistakes that decided the contest.

What happens next

Al-Nassr can draw level with Al-Hilal on points if Cristiano Ronaldo’s side beat Abha on Thursday. Al-Hilal now face the immediate task of responding after their first league reverse in over 12 months.