Hat-trick hero Felix, King stuns Al Shabab, Al Hilal cruise to win

Some of the Roshn Saudi League’s traditional heavyweights set down a marker on the second night of the 2025-26 season, with massive wins for both Riyadh giants Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

Elsewhere in Riyadh, meanwhile, there was a shock as Al Shabab suffered a heavy defeat at home.

Here’s everything that happened on what proved a fabulous Friday of action.

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Al Hilal 2-0 Al Riyadh

Al Hilal were the story of the summer with their standout performances at the FIFA Club World Cup, and they brought that form with them into the opening round of the campaign at Kingdom Arena.

New signing Darwin Nunez thought he had got off the mark inside 10 minutes, only to see VAR rule out the goal for a foul in the build-up.

Al Hilal wouldn’t have to wait long to get up and running, however, with full-back Moteb Al Harbi soon finishing a marauding run with a powerful drive from the edge of the Al Riyadh penalty area to set Al Hilal on their way.

Brazilian Malcom made it two on the stroke of half-time with a superb first-time finish, and while they couldn’t add to their lead after the break, it wasn’t through want of trying. Nunez, Malcom, Joao Cancelo and Abdullah Al Hamdan all came close to adding a third for the hosts.

At the other end, Yassine Bono was rarely tested, but was called upon to make two fine saves from Toze in the second half that ensure Al Hilal earned their first, and surely not last, clean sheet of the season. New manager Simone Inzaghi was no doubt delighted.

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Al Shabab 1-4 Al Khaleej

Talk about making an impact, Al Khaleej’s headline signing of the summer, former Bournemouth and Everton striker Joshua King, jumped out of the blocks with an opening-day brace that could easily have been a hat-trick.

The Norwegian international, a summer signing from Toulouse, broke the deadlock in the capital after only five minutes with an impressive header that set the tone for the rest of the game.

Al Khaleej doubled their lead early in the second half when King was felled in the area by Mubarak Al Rajeh. It left Greek international Konstantinos Fortounis to make no mistake from the spot to put Al Khaleej firmly in the ascendency.

Al Shabab earned a spot-kick of their own just five minutes later, which was expertly dispatched by Yannick Carrasco to give Imanol Alguacil’s new side some hope for the final 30 minutes.

But any optimism was short-lived, with another summer recruit, Saleh Al Amri, restoring Al Khaleej’s two-goal lead.

An audacious back-heel attempt from King went inches wide for what would’ve been an early Goal of the Year contender, but the Norwegian notched his second of the night in the 82nd minute to round out the perfect debut. Al Shabab were stunned.

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Al Taawoun 0-5 Al Nassr

Much was expected from Al Nassr this year, with a new manager and a host of standout additions. And they delivered on that promise - and then some - with a 5-0 rout of Al Taawoun in a display that sent a warning to their title rivals.

Joao Felix opened the scoring after just seven minutes with a superb first-time finish with his left foot, but only after Al Nassr survived a scare seconds earlier when Roger Martinez's glancing header sailed inches wide from giving Al Taawoun the lead.

From there, it was one-way traffic for Jorge Jesus’ side. While it was only 1-0 at half-time, Al Nassr were showcasing the power of their attacking quartet of Cristiano Ronaldo, Felix, Kingsley Coman and Sadio Mane.

Seeking a third successive golden boot, Ronaldo made it 2-0 from the penalty spot early in the second half, and then moments later Coman put the game to bed with a looping header over a stranded Abdulquddus Atiah in the home goal.

Felix made it 4-0 with arguably the best goal of the night, a fizzer from the edge of the area that rifled into the top corner before the new recruit completed his hat-trick moments before full-time.

This time, Goal Line Technology ruled his rebound from close range had crossed the line. The Portuguese star departed with the match ball and Man of the Match award – and an RSL debut to remember.