Benzema Hat-Trick Drives Al-Hilal To 6-0 Victory Over Al-Kholood, Tightening Title Race

Al-Hilal stayed firmly in the Saudi Pro League title race after overwhelming Al-Kholood 6-0 at Kingdom Arena, as Karim Benzema struck a first-half hat-trick. The result moved Simone Inzaghi's team to within two points of leaders Al-Nassr, although Al-Hilal have played one match more in the current league campaign.

The margin of victory reflected clear superiority across the key numbers as well as the scoreline. Al-Hilal produced 16 attempts, hitting the target nine times, and posted an expected goals figure of 3. Al-Kholood managed only nine shots, with an xG of 0.72, underlining the control shown by the hosts throughout.

This result continued a trend of heavy scoring for Al-Hilal against Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Hilal have now hit

at least three goals in all four league meetings, winning 5-1 at home, 4-2 away, 3-1 away and now 6-0 on April 8, 2026, matching their previous record sequence against Al-Okhdood.

Benzema's performance also strengthened personal statistics in the 2025-26 league season. The forward now has 16 Saudi Pro League goals for this campaign after the treble. Yet Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also shaped the contest, influencing build-up play and delivering assists that repeatedly broke Al-Kholood's defensive structure.

Milinkovic-Savic ended the match with team-high figures in several creative areas. The midfielder created two chances, completed 30 passes in the final third, and recorded three successful dribbles. Those contributions backed up Benzema's finishing and ensured Al-Hilal applied steady pressure, while also helping keep Al-Kholood pinned deep for long periods.

The scoring opened in the seventh minute when Moteb Al-Harbi ran onto a through ball from Milinkovic-Savic. Al-Harbi advanced inside the area and drove a low finish into the bottom-left corner. Just 106 seconds later, Al-Hilal added a second, again exploiting space behind the defence with sharp passing.

The quick-fire second arrived after Milinkovic-Savic released Malcom down the flank. Malcom's low cutback travelled past Mansour Camara and reached Benzema, who calmly guided the ball home from close range. That early double left Al-Kholood struggling to respond, with Al-Hilal continuing to attack with direct, purposeful moves.

Al-Hilal received a penalty when Muhammad Sawaan tripped Malcom inside the box. Juan Pablo Cozzani initially denied Benzema from the spot, saving the kick, yet the rebound fell kindly. Benzema reacted first and headed in, then completed the hat-trick in first-half stoppage time with a back-post finish from another Milinkovic-Savic cross.

After half-time, the hosts maintained control and extended the lead. Ten minutes after the restart, Salem Al-Dawsari seized on an error by Camara while Al-Kholood tried to play out from defence, then curled a precise shot into the top-right corner. The fifth goal arrived from aggressive pressing and punished loose play once again.

With 14 minutes remaining, Jamaan Al-Dosari under-hit a back pass that Benzema intercepted. Instead of shooting, Benzema squared the ball to Marcos Leonardo, who finished calmly to complete the 6-0 scoreline. The goal confirmed a dominant night for the forwards and ensured Al-Hilal maintained strong goal difference in the Saudi Pro League standings.

goals, points and a complete night pic.twitter.com/flqLPwAjZfAlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) April 8, 2026

The 6-0 victory highlighted Al-Hilal's attacking options and increased pressure on Al-Nassr in the title race. Benzema's hat-trick and Milinkovic-Savic's all-round display stood out, supported by goals from Al-Harbi, Al-Dawsari and Leonardo. With one extra match played, Al-Hilal will now wait to see how Al-Nassr respond in the Saudi Pro League.