Benzema brilliance, Retegui brace and Al Fayha win at Al Fateh | OneFootball

A fascinating opening matchweek of the new Roshn Saudi League season concluded on Saturday night with a flurry of goals and star performances.

Here’s a recap of what transpired, with the defending champions spurred once more by their incredible captain, and the 2024-25 Serie A top scorer signalling his intent.

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Al Fateh 1-2 Al Fayha

Two clubs who were involved in last season’s relegation battle faced off in Al Ahsa, with each looking to lay down a marker that this campaign would prove infinitely more positive.

And they certainly threw everything into the first half. There were all three goals, beginning with debutant Jason putting Al Fayha ahead on 15 minutes following a fabulous Fashion Sakala assist.

In between that and another new signing, Alfa Semedo, doubling the visitors’ lead four minutes into first-half injury-time, there were two red cards.

Alfa Semedo nets winner for Al Fayha at Al Fateh

First, Al Fateh were reduced to 10 men when Amine Sbai was sent off for a foul on Ali Al Hussain – VAR intervened to upgrade the yellow card – and, seven minutes later, Al Fayha’s Khaled Al Rammah followed suit. His was for a second bookable offence.

With all the commotion, a lengthy period of additional time was awarded. Just enough, in fact, for Comoros midfielder Zaydou Youssouf to pull one back for Al Fateh in the 12th minute of injury-time.

However, Al Fayha held on through the second half, goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera called upon at times, to emerge with the victory. Their season, one they wish will offer more than the last, was off to a cracking start.

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Al Okhdood 2-5 Al Ittihad

Kicking off in the matchweek's final slot, fans of the RSL were made to wait to see how Al Ittihad would begin their title defence. Well, the champions answered pretty emphatically.

At an expectant Prince Hathloul Sports City, Laurent Blanc's men were 2-0 up inside the first seven minutes, first through captain Karim Benzema’s header and then Steven Bergwijn’s finish.

But, to their credit, Al Okhdood kept at it. The hosts halved the deficit just before the half hour, through Colombian Juan Sebastian Pedroza, but their joy was short-lived. Two minutes later, Saaed Al Rubaie deflected Bergwijn’s free-kick into his own goal.

Al Ittihad captain Karim Benzema gets the first of his three goals v Al Okhdood

Al Ittihad burst out of the blocks again in the second half, when Benzema sent home Fabinho’s assist, only for Pedroza to strike again on 57 minutes.

Yet Al Ittihad responded immediately. On the hour, Benzema completed his hat-trick with a neatly cushioned volley at the back post, putting the visitors 5-2 up.

All that was left was for Al Okhdood’s Naif Asiri to pick up a second booking seven minutes from time to compound the home side’s woes.

Oh, and for Benzema to depart with the match ball and the Man of the Match award. Third last season in the race for the golden boot, the Al Ittihad superstar looks keen to make up for missing out on that individual award.

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Al Qadsiah 3-1 Al Najmah

Playing at the same time over in Dammam, one of the perceived title challengers to Al Ittihad kicked off their campaign with a convincing win.

Like the champions, Al Qadsiah got off the mark almost straight away, Mateo Retegui needing all of five minutes to underline his RSL debut with a goal. The Italy international, top scorer in last season’s Serie A, headed home brilliantly from Turki Al Ammar’s centre.

While the hosts were ecstatic, it was not the start Al Najmah wanted upon their RSL debut; the Buraidah club were competing in the top flight for the very first time.

Their plight got worse right on half-time, though, when Julian Quinones supplied the finish to Natihan Nandez’s assist, the Mexican sure to contend again for this term’s golden boot.

To be fair, Al Najmah more than made a game of it. Nine minutes into the second half, they struck back through Iraqi debutant Ali Jasim, and then stayed right in the contest until the final throes.

However, Al Qadsiah ended all hope late on, when Retegui grabbed his second of the night deep into stoppage-time. Arriving this summer to huge fanfare, the Italian certainly delivered on his opening night.