Benzema Hat-Trick Sends Al-Ittihad to 4-0 Win Over Al-Kholood

Karim Benzema scored a first-half hat-trick as Al-Ittihad defeated hosts Al-Kholood 4-0 to climb to fifth place in the Saudi Pro League table. The reigning champions now have 26 points from 13 matches, nine behind leaders Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr sit second with 31 points, ahead of Al-Taawoun on goal difference, while Al-Qadsiah are fourth with 27 points.

Al-Kholood were handed an early setback when defender William Troost-Ekong received a straight red card in the eighth minute, leaving the home side severely weakened. Al-Ittihad quickly took advantage, with Benzema converting a penalty in the 13th minute to open the scoring. He doubled the lead in the 28th minute, finishing from Muhannad Al-Shanqiti’s assist.

The French forward completed his treble in the 35th minute, tapping in Moussa Diaby’s low cross from close range, mirroring the movement of his second goal. Saleh Al-Shehri added a fourth in the 84th minute, securing a fourth consecutive SPL victory for Al-Ittihad and continuing the club’s recent resurgence.

Earlier in the day, Al-Taawoun moved back to third place with a 2-0 home win over 10-man Al-Shabab. Roger Martinez opened the scoring with a penalty in the 27th minute, nine minutes after Mohammed Al-Shwirekh had been sent off for the visitors. Angelo Fulgini added a second in first-half stoppage time, allowing Al-Taawoun to bounce back from last week’s loss to Al-Ittihad.

In another Friday fixture, Al-Khaleej recorded a 4-0 victory over Damac, who were reduced to 10 men after just 24 minutes. The win moves Al-Khaleej up to ninth place, while Damac remain in 14th.

The results highlight the impact of early red cards on match outcomes in the Saudi Pro League this season, with both Al-Kholood and Damac unable to recover after losing players. Al-Ittihad’s clinical performance against ten men demonstrated their attacking strength, with Benzema continuing to shine as a key figure in the reigning champions’ campaign.

Al-Ittihad now focus on closing the gap to the top four as they build momentum following a run of consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun’s victory strengthens their position among the league leaders, while teams like Al-Kholood and Damac face mounting pressure to turn their seasons around as the competition intensifies.