Neom handed Al Hilal a 2-0 defeat at the Kingdom Arena on Monday to shatter the club’s 47-game unbeaten run in the Saudi Pro League, according to the Associated Press. Former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored an own goal after 15 minutes to give the visitors the lead while Ivory Coast midfielder Amadou Kone added a second goal just before halftime. The result ended Al Hilal’s perfect start to the season after five straight wins and represented the first league loss for Simone Inzaghi, who joined from Inter Milan in June 2025.
Inzaghi accepted responsibility for the outcome in his post-match press conference, noting that his side created five clear chances in the opening half without converting any of them. He added that Neom’s goalkeeper produced an outstanding performance to deny Mohammed Kanno in the second period. Despite the loss, figures from the league table show Al Hilal remained in first place after the match.
The visitors, who are newly promoted this season, capitalised on a rare off night for a squad featuring several high-profile summer arrivals from the Premier League. Gabriel Martinelli made his first start for the club after arriving from Arsenal while Ollie Watkins and Crysencio Summerville also featured in attack, part of a reported combined transfer outlay exceeding $200 million. Al Hilal failed to register a single shot on target for the first time this campaign, ESPN data indicated.
The unbeaten sequence had stretched across more than a year in domestic competition, beginning with a November 2024 victory over Al Shabab and encompassing 35 wins along with 12 draws, Opta records show. Al Hilal had only recently surpassed their own previous club mark of 46 matches without defeat set between 2023 and 2024. A separate report from Goal.com noted that the streak left them four games short of equalling Al Ahli’s all-time Saudi league record of 51 matches.
Inzaghi had guided the team through an unbeaten domestic campaign the previous season before this result, though they ultimately finished as runners-up to Al Nassr in the league standings. The Italian coach had also overseen strong performances in continental competition during his tenure. Monday’s match highlighted the growing competitiveness in the Saudi Pro League, where promoted sides like Neom have invested in experienced international players including Alexandre Lacazette.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr now have the opportunity to close the gap on the leaders, with a win in their match in hand against Abha potentially moving them level on points, the Associated Press reported. Al Hilal will look to regroup quickly as the season continues with several key fixtures ahead. The club had been aiming to challenge on multiple fronts once again this term following significant squad investment.
