Al-Hilal stayed unbeaten in the Saudi Pro League but dropped more ground in the title race, drawing 2-2 with Al-Taawoun and slipping five points behind leaders Al-Nassr, who beat Al-Najma 5-3 on Friday.

Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal led through Mohamed Meite’s first Saudi Pro League goal, yet needed a late reply from Marcos Leonardo to avoid a first league defeat, after Al-Taawoun defender Andrei Girotto turned the match around with two second-half headers.

Al-Hilal entered the weekend aiming to trim Al-Nassr’s advantage to three points, especially with a direct league meeting still to come. Instead, the gap widened, while Al-Ahli moved level on points with Al-Hilal after a controlled 3-0 win over Damac.

The scoring in Riyadh opened late in the first half when Meite escaped Mohammed Mahzari near the byline and drilled a low shot inside the near post. That goal arrived against the run of some early pressure from Al-Taawoun, who had threatened from set-plays.

Girotto changed the tone after the interval. The Brazilian centre-back struck first in the 55th minute with a firm header, then rose again on 67 minutes at the back post, nodding in after a long throw caused confusion inside the Al-Hilal penalty area.

Leonardo rescued a point on 77 minutes with a close-range finish, keeping Al-Hilal’s Saudi Pro League record unbeaten through 27 games, though the team have now drawn eight times. Their dropped points allowed Al-Nassr, lifted by Cristiano Ronaldo’s double against Al-Najma, to strengthen control.

Al-Ahli matched Al-Hilal’s points tally by easing past Damac earlier on Saturday. Dhari Al-Anazi put through an own net before Ivan Toney and Matheus Goncalves added further goals, underlining pressure on Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League top-three battle.

The draw continued strong post-international break form for both sides. Al-Taawoun are unbeaten in seven Saudi Pro League matches immediately after international windows, winning five and drawing two. Al-Hilal’s equivalent run now stretches to five such fixtures without defeat, with three wins and two draws.

The match also brought fitness concerns for Al-Hilal, as it was confirmed that Karim Benzema missed the game through injury. The setback comes with only four days before Al-Hilal return to Saudi Pro League duty against Al-Kholood on Wednesday.

Al-Hilal avoided defeat against a disciplined fifth-placed Al-Taawoun side, yet the stalemate increased pressure in the Saudi Pro League race, with Al-Nassr ahead and Al-Ahli drawing level, leaving Inzaghi’s team needing more wins to regain the championship.