The Riyadh Derby that takes place between Al Hilal SFC and Al-Nassr is one of the most anticipated games in the Saudi Pro League (SPL). The two giants of football in Saudi Arabia have a rich tradition of intense competition, as well as the 2025 SPL game between them played in April 4 5th, 2025 and April 4, 2025, was not an exception. Al-Nassr was victorious with a score of 3-1 due to two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and an early goal by Ali Al Hassan. Al Hilal’s goal was the only one in the 62nd minute from the Ali Al-Bulaihi in the 62nd minutes.
We’ll go over this match’s Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr lineups and analyze the teams’ formations, crucial players, tactical strategies as well as substitutions. We’ll also examine how these factors affected the final outcome of the game.
Match Overview: Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr
Rivalry among Al Hilal and Al-Nassr is one of the main features in Saudi football. Both teams have a large following and a lengthy record of winning in both international and domestic competitions. As they entered the match, Al Hilal were hoping to keep their position as the top team in the country and Al-Nassr along with the inclusion to their roster of Cristiano Ronaldo was looking to close the gap to their position at the summit of the Saudi Pro League standings.
Al Hilal SFC Starting XI (4-2-3-1 Formation)
Directed by Jorge Jesus, Al Hilal lined up in their standard 4-2-3-1 formation. with a focus on controlling possession and attacking from the wings. Here’s the full description of their lineup:
| Position | Player | Key Role/Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Yassine Bounou | Important saves were made to ensure that Al Hilal competitive. |
| Right-back | Hamad Al-Yami | Stability for defensive players and occasionally assistance for offensive shifts. |
| Center-back | Kalidou Koulibaly | The defensive line was led by the experience and physical strength in handling aerial fights. |
| Center-back | Ali Al-Bulaihi | The only goal scored by Al Hilal, acting as a solid central defense. |
| Left-back | Renan Lodi | The team was able to support both defense and attack creating space on the left flank. |
| Defensive Midfield | Mohamed Kanno | The team slowed down attacks from opponents and assisted in distributing passes within the midfield. |
| Defensive Midfield | Salman Al-Faraj | Assisted in leadership and ensuring stability in defense, while bridging play between attack and defense. |
| Attacking Midfield | Nasser Al-Dawsari | played a key role in bridging midfield and attack, making important passes. |
| Right-wing | Mohammed Al-Qahtani | Key crosses were delivered and also provided offensive width, sometimes cutting in to strike. |
| Striker | Saleh Al-Shehri | Led the offensive line, hoping to get through Al-Nassr’s defense by using his physicality. |
| Left-wing | Michel | A little more speed and creativity often allowing runs to go behind the defense, and creating opportunities. |
Al-Nassr Starting XI (4-4-2 Formation)
Al-Nassr and is managed by Stefano Pioli, was set up in a balanced formation of 4-4-2, which relies on the speed of their wingers as well as the impressive finishing skills that is Cristiano Ronaldo. Below is a list of the Al-Nassr’s squad:
| Position | Player | Key Role/Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | David Ospina | Important saves were made and the defense was organized. the defense well. |
| Right-back | Sultan Al Ghannam | Assisted in both defense and attack transitions. |
| Center-back | Aymeric Laporte | Did the best in aerial combat and played an important part in preventing Al Hilal at bay. |
| Center-back | Ali Lajami | We partnered with Laporte in order to stop Al Hilal’s aggressive threats. |
| Left-back | Alex Telles | Solid defensive performance while assisting the attack when required. |
| Central Midfield | Mukhtar Ali | He controlled the midfield and offered an efficient distribution of the attackers. |
| Central Midfield | Al-Khaibari | The defensive line was provided and aid in bringing midfield and attack together. |
| Right Midfield | Aymen Yahya | The wing provided width and speed on the right wing, which contributes to attack and defense. |
| Left Midfield | Sadio Mane | played a major role in generating chances and also providing cross-field crosses to the box. |
| Striker | Cristiano Ronaldo | He scored twice, which included one penalty, and also played a major role in Al-Nassr’s offensive. |
| Striker | Jhon Duran | Supported Ronaldo and pressed Al Hilal’s defense, allowing space for his teammates. |
Key Substitutions in Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr
Al Hilal SFC Substitutions:
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Moteb Alharbi substituted Saleh Al-Shehri in the 81st minute. The substitute brought new enthusiasm to forwards.
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Marcos Leonardo substituted Nasser Al-Dawsari in the 82nd minute and added offensive energy for the midfield.
Al-Nassr Substitutions:
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Awad Amman substituted Ali Lajami in the 70th minute. He bolstered up the defense.
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Otavio was brought on to replace Aymen Yahya in the 62nd minute. This provided more stability in midfield.
Match Statistics
The Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr lineups showed different style of play. Al Hilal dominated possession, however, Al-Nassr’s offensive efficiency and counter-attacking approach played a decisive role in the final. Below are the main game statistics:
| Statistic | Al Hilal | Al-Nassr |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 58.9% | 41.1% |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 8 |
| Total Shots | 16 | 18 |
| Corners | 10 | 7 |
| Saves | 5 | 2 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 0 |
Tactical Insights: Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr
Al Hilal SFC:
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Possession and Formation Al Hilal’s formation of 4-2-3-1 relied on the control of possession, and used their wingers in order to break down Al-Nassr’s defense. Full-backs, Renan Lodi and Hamad Al-Yami offered ample space for the attacking midfielders to make use of gaps between lines.
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The Defensive Strength: Even though they conceded three goals, Al Hilal’s defense, anchored by Kalidou Koulibaly and Ali Al-Bulaihi was resilient throughout the game. They were adept at tackling aerial battles and attempted to stop counter-attacks from Al-Nassr.
Al-Nassr:
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Formation and Attacking Play Al-Nassr’s formation of 4-4-2 was well composed, with midfielders Mukhtar Ali as well as Al-Khaibari protecting the defense, and Sadio Mane, and Aymen Yahya added the width. The duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jhon Duran was crucial in bringing down Al Hilal’s defense.
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Clinical Final: Al-Nassr capitalized on their few opportunities and scored two goals, by allowing Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two crucial goals, which included penalties in the second period. The ability of their players to convert chances into goals was the key factor in this game.
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Conclusion
The Al Hilal SFC vs Al-Nassr lineups resulted in a thrilling match that saw both teams display an impressive level of individual and tactical skill. Al-Nassr was the winners, with 3-1 win due to the shrewd performance that was provided by Cristiano Ronaldo and Ali Al Hassan. Al Hilal, despite dominating possession, failed to make the most of their opportunities, as well the Ali Al-Bulaihi score in the 2nd period was not enough to alter the course of play.
The amazing Riyadh Derby proved once again why the rivalry between Al Hilal and Al-Nassr is one of the most exciting of all in Saudi football. Both teams are hoping to build on their performance as they fight to claim winning the Saudi Pro League title.
