Leonardo helps fire Inzaghi's Al Hilal to Clasico win at champions Al Ittihad | OneFootball

That victory came via an own goal and a Marcos Leonardo tap-in would matter little to Al Hilal, for they had done it.

They had come into the lion’s den - or, in this case, the Tigers’ - seeking to spoil the Jeddah party, and departed the champions with mission accomplished: a win in the Clasico. It was a statement victory, too, the first of Simone Inzaghi’s reign in the Roshn Saudi League.

Where the Italian had failed to get the better of opposite number Sergio Conceicao four times already in 2025, as respective managers of Milan’s twin storied clubs, he had triumphed in his initial calling in a Clasico.

Al Hilal prevailed 2-0 in front of more than 46,500 fans at Alinma Stadium on Friday, consigning Al Ittihad to a second straight home defeat in the RSL and stretching Conceicao’s search for a league victory to three games at least. Certainly, the title-holders and their new manager have work to do.

Simone Inzaghi's first Clasico ended with victory for his Al Hilal at Al Ittihad

Maybe the warning signs were there early on Friday. Because Al Hilal had the opening opportunity of the night when, 10 minutes in, Leonardo crashed a half volley into the hosts' upright.

Even though from a tight angle, his eyes were right to light up: reinstated to Al Hilal's RSL side following injury to Joao Cancelo, the Brazilian had already marked his return with four goals in two league matches.

Then, after Moussa Diaby and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had each fired free-kicks off target - the latter’s arched only inches wide - and Al Ittihad attempted a couple of shots from range, Al Hilal seized the lead.

Four minutes before half-time, another expertly whipped corner from Ruben Neves was this time met at the near post by Darwin Nunez, whose flicked header glanced off home midfielder Mahamadou Doumbia and flew past Hamed Al Shanqiti in the Al Ittihad net.

Nunez wheeled away in celebration; for Malian youngster Doumbia, a summer-window signing from Belgium’s Royal Antwerp, it marked a devastating blow on his full RSL bow.

Al Hilal almost made it two right after half-time. Leonardo found space to get away his shot but, with Al Shanqiti beaten, defender Danilo Pereira somehow contorted his body to toe away the ball from the Al Ittihad goalline.

Not long after, though, there would be no such reprieve. Only 12 second-half minutes had elapsed when Al Shanqiti spilled Neves’ albeit-deflected shot when he should have collected, and Leonardo was on hand to tap into the empty net.

Racking up his 22nd RSL goal from 27 appearances, the Al Hilal forward won't have scored many easier.

Al Ittihad, champions last season with two rounds to spare, didn’t really have an answer. Captain Karim Benzema scuffed a volley wide, while N’Golo Kante was later pipped to the ball by a blue block when set to shoot inside the Al Hilal penalty area.

Rather, it was the visitors who came closest to swelling the scoreline, with Nunez prevented a derby Clasico goal by the narrowest of offsides. Racing onto to Milinkovic-Savic’s slide pass, he finished well past Al Shanqiti. Yet replays confirmed the former Liverpool forward had gone a mite early.

To emphasise Al Ittihad’s woes, Benzema then dragged wide when well placed to score. Typically Al Hilal’s bogeyman of late, the 2024-25 RSL Player of the Season had a night to forget.

Not so, Al Hilal and Inzaghi. Still unbeaten through six rounds in the league this season, the 2023-24 champions vault into third in the standings. They move one point behind Al Nassr, although their great Riyadh rivals don’t play until Saturday, at Al Hazem.

For now, however, they won't care. With three victories on the bounce, the latest a crucial Clasico success, Inzaghi has Al Hilal bounding forward.