RIYADH — Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajković led Al-Ittihad to the semi-finals of the King's Cup with a heroic performance, saving three penalties in a dramatic shootout against Al-Hilal. The match, played at the sold-out Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, ended 3-1 in penalties after an enthralling 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time, providing fans with a spectacle worthy of a final. French star Karim Benzema, captain of Al-Ittihad, played a pivotal role, scoring twice during the match and converting in the penalty shootout to secure a marathon victory for his side. The first half ended in a goalless stalemate, with controversy arising when Benzema's goal was ruled offside in the 44th minute. The stalemate reflected a closely contested battle, with Al-Hilal suffering a significant blow early on when striker Aleksandar Mitrovic left the field injured in the 10th minute, replaced by Marcus Leonardo. Benzema broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, latching onto a cross from Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti to give Al-Ittihad the lead. However, Al-Hilal responded quickly, equalizing in the 72nd minute through captain Salem Al-Dawsari, who capitalized on a defensive error by Al-Ittihad's Fabinho. The match extended into extra time, with Al-Hilal taking the lead in the 101st minute when Marcus Leonardo converted a pass from Muteb Al-Harbi. Yet Al-Ittihad refused to back down, as Benzema struck again in the 114th minute, finishing off a brilliant assist from Abdulaziz Al-Bishi. Benzema's goal marked his fifth against Al-Hilal, including one scored with Real Madrid during the FIFA Club World Cup in 2023. In the dying minutes of extra time, Al-Ittihad thought they had scored a third goal through Al-Bishi, but VAR intervened to disallow the effort for offside. The match then moved to penalties, where Rajković emerged as the hero, saving three spot-kicks from Al-Hilal stars to seal a 3-1 victory. With the win, Al-Ittihad secured the final semi-final spot, joining Al-Qadsiah, Al-Shabab, and Al-Raed in the last four. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal, champions in the last two editions, were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Al-Ittihad also maintained their historical edge over Al-Hilal in King's Cup encounters, recording their seventh victory in 18 meetings, compared to six wins for Al-Hilal and five draws.
