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Martinelli hat-trick sends Al-Hilal top as Al-Nassr are held by Al-Khaleej
Gabriel Martinelli scored his first Al-Hilal goals in a hat-trick and Ollie Watkins added two as Al-Hilal won 6-0 at Al-Taawoun to go top on 18 points, while Al-Nassr dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Al-Khaleej.
Al-Hilal returned to the top of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, 12 September, with a 6-0 win away to Al-Taawoun in Buraidah.
Ollie Watkins, signed from Aston Villa days earlier, opened the scoring early on after running onto a long ball from Ruben Neves. Gabriel Martinelli then scored his first goals for the club: one midway through the first half, a second before the break, and a third shortly after half-time when Crysencio Summerville set him up from the byline. Watkins made it five soon after, and substitute Sultan Mandash completed the rout against his former club in the 75th minute. Martinelli was named man of the match, and coach Simone Inzaghi praised how quickly the Brazilian has settled.
In Dammam, Al-Nassr were held 1-1 by Al-Khaleej. Omar Mascarell headed the hosts in front just before half-time from an Angelo Fulgini delivery, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan equalised in the second half. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score.
The results leave Al-Hilal first on 18 points, one ahead of Al-Ittihad and two ahead of Al-Nassr, in a tightly packed title race early in the season.
Sources: https://www.arabnews.com/saudi-pro-league/al-nassr-falter-against-al-khaleej-as-martinelli-bags-hat-trick-for-al-hilal-3001512 · https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2026/09/13/cristiano-ronaldo-blanks-as-al-nassr-stumble-gabriel-martinelli-and-ollie-watkins-deliver-for-al-hilal/ · https://www.spl.com.sa/en/news/that-s-why-i-m-here-gabriel-martinelli-off-mark-at-al-hilal-with-hat-trick
Saudi Pro League · Al-Hilal · Al-Nassr · Gabriel Martinelli · Ollie Watkins · دوري روشن
Competition: Saudi Pro League