Al-Shabab all but end Al-Hilal’s title hopes with crucial Riyadh derby win

Al-Shabab defeated Al-Hilal 3-0 on Friday to remain in the Saudi Pro League title race while almost certainly knocking their Riyadh rivals out of the running.

Goals from Hussain Al-Qahtani, Cristian Guanca and Hattan Bahebri kept the hosts within six points of league leaders Al-Ittihad, and five behind second-placed Al-Nassr, with eight games remaining.

With Al-Hilal now eight points off the pace, the odds are very much against the defending champions challenging for top spot, especially with the top two in such great form and showing little sign of slipping up.

Although Al-Shabab were at home, recent and medium-term history was not on their side going into the game. Their winless streak against their city rivals stretched into double figures, and they had dropped five points from the previous three games. Meanwhile the reigning champions took to the pitch on the back of four straight wins.

The closest either team came to scoring in the first half was an attempt by Guanca after 20 minutes. Al-Shabab’s Argentine attacker let loose with a fierce, swerving, left-footed shot from outside the area that had Abdullah Al-Mayouf scrambling to his right to make a fine diving save and keep the game goalless.

Toward the end of the half, Al-Hilal piled on the pressure and, two minutes before the break, Michael shot just wide from the edge of the area after the hosts struggled to clear a corner.

The second half was much less cagey. Al-Shabab had been concerned about the red-hot form of their former striker Odion Ighalo, who now plays for Al-Hilal. The Nigerian had bagged nine goals in the past seven games, including four from the previous two, to record 16 for the season so far. Soon after the restart, his half-volley from the