Hilal increased its lead after winning 3-2 over host Al-Ittifaq in a Round 21 match of the Zain Saudi Professional League held at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam Friday. With a fine performance, the Blues changed their two-goal setback to a three-goal victory, that has put Hilal closer to the title than ever, especially after runner-up Ittihad lost to Ta'awon 1-0. Ittifaq midfielder, Yahiya Al-Shihri put his team in the lead after eight minutes before his Argentinean teammate midfielder Sbastian Tegali increased the lead from the spot 12 minutes later. However, Hilal's Egyptian striker Ahmed Ali reduced the margin in the 22nd minute and midfielder Mohammed Al-Shalhoub leveled the score two minutes after the break. In the 71st minute, Hilal striker Yassir Al-Qahtani clinched the winner. Hilal is still on top of the standings with 49 points while Ittifaq slipped one spot down to the fourth (35). At Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, runner-up Al-Ittihad lost its first match in the league to Al-Ta'awon 1-0. Ta'awon defender Abdul Aziz Al-Tarqi scored the winner in the 71st minute. Al-Ta'awon has now moved one spot up the standings to the eighth position with 25 points while Ittihad is still second with 40 points – nine points behind Hilal. Elsewhere, Al-Shabab routed its host Al-Hazm 4-0 at Al-Hazm Club Stadium. Shabab's Guinean striker Al-Hassane Keita scored a hat trick and striker Faisal Al-Sultan sealed the White Lions' win. The victory lifted Shabab one spot up the standings to the fourth place with 36 points. Hazm, on the other hand, continued its disappointing show as the team still occupies the last place with only six points. At Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium, a ten-man Al-Nasr edged its guest Al-Ra'id 1-0. Nasr is third on the list with 39 points while Ra'id is seventh with 26 points.
