Hilal remained unbeaten in this year's Zain Saudi Professional League when it closed the season with a 2-1 win over visitors Najran at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh Friday. Midfielder Ahmed Al-Furaidy put Hilal in the lead after 15 minutes. His teammate midfielder Mohammed Al-Shalhoub doubled the score in the 79th minute; a minute before Congolese striker reduced the margin for Najran. Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW), handed the trophy to Al-Hilal skipper Yasser Al-Qahtani, while his teammates were given memorial cups, In other matches, Al-Qadisiyah left the league after being defeated by Al-Ittifaq 1-0 at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam. Having collected 48 points, Ittifaq secured a place among the big four who will represent Saudi Arabia in the next Asian Champion League. Qadisiyah, on the other hand, has 23 points, with a seven-goal difference behind Al-Wehdah. Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, thrashed visitors Al-Nasr 5-2 at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium. Algerian striker Abdul-Malik Ziaya put Ittihad in the lead in the fourth minute before Nasr midfielder Khaled Zaila'ay leveled the score five minutes later. Nasr defender Ahmed Al-Doukhi made it 2-1 four minutes before the break. Ittihad striker Mohammed Al-Rashid leveled the score nine minutes after the break before his Portuguese teammate midfielder Paulo Jorge put his team in the lead. Al-Rashid scored again in the 90th minute to make it 4-2, but Ziaya increased the margin three minutes into injury time. Elsewhere, Al-Ahli defeated host Al-Ra'id 3-2 at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in Buraidah; while Al-Fateh won 3-0 over visitor Al-Hazm at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Ahsa. At King Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium, Al-Wehdah and Al-Ta'awon played out a goalless match. Al-Shabab defeated host Al-Faisali 1-0 at the Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium in Al-Majma'ah. With the league having rung its curtain down, the eight teams which will play in the King's Cup for Champions are: Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ittifaq, Al-Shabab, Al-Nasr, Al-Ahli, Al-Wehdah and Al-Ta'awon. On the other hand, Al-Hilal (64 points), Al-Ittihad (51), Al-Ittifaq (48) and Al-Shabab (46) will represent Saudi Arabia in the next ACL.
