Al-Mayouf’s heroics gives Al-Hilal the King’s Cup

Al-Hilal have lost two finals already this year in the FIFA Club World Cup and the Asian Champions League and came within moments of losing a third on Friday in Jeddah. A goal down to Al-Wehda with 98 minutes on the clock in the King’s Cup final, Ali Al-Bulaihi sent the game into extra-time and then the Riyadh giants triumphed 7-6 in a penalty shootout with goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf making the vital saves before stepping up to convert the final kick.

Nothing, though, should be taken away from Al-Wehda, who came within minutes of taking the trophy back to Mecca for the first time since 1966. The Red Giants shocked Al-Nassr in the semi-final and were certainly not scared of the men in blue either, attacking whenever the opportunity presented itself and they almost took an early lead with a fierce shot from Anselmo that hit the top of the bar. 

On the 20th minute mark, Alaa Hejji received the ball near the penalty spot but his shot was weak and right into the arms of a grateful Abdullah Al-Mayouf. Soon after Karim Yoda fired just wide from the right side of Al-Hilal’s area. 

Ten minutes before the break, the French midfielder gave the Reds a deserved lead to send their thousands of fans at King Abdullah Sports City wild with delight. He picked up the ball in a similar location, a little further out, and then bent a shot into the corner of the net with Al-Mayouf rooted to the spot. It was a fine goal.

Al-Hilal had barely been in the game in an attacking sense, with an early header from Luciano Vietto tipped over by Munir Mohamedi the closest they came but the four-time Asian champions still have the talent to make things happen. Just before the break, Michael twisted and turned in the left side of the area and his