'Thanks for the love' - Benzema back with bang to boost Al Hilal title bid | OneFootball

Karim Benzema returned to the Al Hilal line-up and showed immediately why he'll be crucial to the club’s Roshn Saudi League championship challenge.

The winter signing from Al Ittihad sat out the past two rounds with a niggling injury and, while his new side hardly missed him in the 5-3 derby win at Al Shabab, a player of Benzema’s considerable calibre can only boost their title chances.

And so it was on Friday night in Riyadh, when the RSL's reigning Player of the Season marked his comeback from that brief spell away with his first goals at Kingdom Arena.

They proved the opening two notches in what ended being a healthy 4-0 victory against Al Najmah, one breaking the deadlock right before half-time and the other setting up a three-goal blitz in a five-minute spell towards the death.

Benzema’s first, on 43 minutes, came not long after Al Najmah were reduced to 10 men, the 2024-25 RSL title winner brilliantly positioned to nod home Salem Al Dawsari’s cross.

The second wasn’t much different. With nine minutes of normal time remaining, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic broke inside the visitors’ penalty area and squared to Benzema who, from close range, made no mistake in side-footing past opposition goalkeeper Victor Braga.

From there, Al Hilal put the gloss on a fine evening’s work. Malcom pounced on the rebound after Theo Hernandez’s shot cannoned off the upright; Milinkovic-Savic did the same, when this time Braga could only parry another Hernandez effort.

So, with Al Ahli triumphing in the Sea Derby against Al Ittihad, and Al Nassr still to play in Matchweek 25, Al Hilal stay third, albeit only one point off the summit.

With Benzema back and firing, though, the record-breaking 2023-24 champions will fancy their chances of reclaiming their crown. As their French forward enthused afterwards, the mood is positive.

“Great win and good sensations tonight,” Benzema posted on social media. “Thanks to the fans for the love as always.”