Al-Hilal Defeats Al-Shabab 1-0 As Leonardo Scores Despite Koulibaly's Red Card

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Al-Hilal edged past Al-Shabab with a 1-0 win, thanks to Marcos Leonardo's first-half goal. This victory elevated them to second place in the Saudi Pro League standings. Despite Kalidou Koulibaly's late red card, Al-Hilal maintained control as Al-Shabab struggled to threaten their defence.

Ruben Neves set the tone early for Al-Hilal, narrowly missing a shot within three minutes and later hitting the net's roof with a free-kick from a tight angle. Leonardo broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, finishing a well-executed team move by slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner.

After halftime, Moteb Al-Harbi attempted a long-range shot that sailed over the bar. Both teams found it difficult to create significant chances before Koulibaly's dismissal. He lost possession and fouled Marcelo Grohe, initially receiving a yellow card which was upgraded to red after a VAR review.

Despite being reduced to ten men for the final 12 minutes, Al-Hilal held firm. Carlos Junior's header was easily saved by Yassine Bounou, who later made an impressive save during stoppage time to deny Wesley Hoedt's powerful strike, ensuring his clean sheet remained intact.

The match featured limited clear opportunities, with only five shots on target overall. Al-Shabab had three of these attempts, mostly during stoppage time in the second half. The hosts managed just 0.65 expected goals from nine attempts (two on target), while Al-Shabab recorded 0.5 expected goals from their nine shots.

Al-Hilal's victory marked their tenth consecutive win in October in the Saudi Pro League. They have also kept clean sheets in each of their last five matches during this period. Despite lacking quality chances, they demonstrated resilience and defensive strength throughout the game.