The most anticipated fixture in Asian club football delivered on intensity but remained locked on the scoreboard today, Monday, January 12, 2026, as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr played out a 0–0 draw at the Kingdom Arena.
The Matchday 15 encounter saw the Saudi Pro League's top two sides cancel each other out in a high-octane tactical battle. While the result ends Al-Hilal's historic 18-game winning streak, it preserves their four-point lead at the top of the table.
Match Summary: Tension at the Kingdom Arena
The atmosphere in Riyadh was electric as Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal faced Jorge Jesus’s Al-Nassr. Despite the presence of world-class attacking talent on both sides, defensive discipline was the theme of the night.
First Half: Al-Hilal controlled the early possession, with Rúben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić pulling the strings. Al-Nassr looked dangerous on the break, with João Félix hitting the post in the 34th minute.
Second Half: Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had broken the deadlock in the 72nd minute with a trademark header, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside. Al-Hilal pushed late for a winner through Marcos Leonardo, but Al-Nassr's makeshift defense, led by Iñigo Martínez, held firm.
Final Score & Standings
| Team | Score | Points | Position |
| Al-Hilal | 0 | 36 | 1st |
| Al-Nassr | 0 | 32 | 2nd |
Al-Hilal remains unbeaten this season (11 wins, 3 draws).
Lineups & Player Performance
Al-Hilal (4-3-3)
Coach: Simone Inzaghi1
GK: Mohammed Al-Rubaie
DEF: H. Al-Yami, Tambakti, Akcicek, N. Al-Dawsari2
MID: Kanno, Neves, Milinković-Savić3
FWD: Malcom, Marcos Leonardo, Salem Al-Dawsari4
Key Sub: Darwin Núñez (entered 65') injected pace but couldn't find the breakthrough.
Al-Nassr (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Jorge Jesus
GK: Nawaf Al-Aqidi5
DEF: Sultan Al-Ghanam, Al-Amri, Iñigo Martínez, Ayman Yahya
MID: Brozović, Al-Khaibari
FWD: Ângelo, João Félix, Kingsley Coman; Cristiano Ronaldo
Note: Sadio Mané and Aymeric Laporte were notable absentees due to international duty and injury.
Tactical Analysis
Jorge Jesus opted for a more conservative approach than usual, dropping his line of engagement to deny Al-Hilal’s midfielders the space they usually enjoy. This frustrated Sergej Milinković-Savić, who was kept quiet for much of the game. Al-Hilal, meanwhile, successfully neutralized Ronaldo by doubling up on him whenever he entered the final third, though they struggled to convert their 62% possession into clear-cut chances.
What’s Next?
The title race remains firmly in Al-Hilal’s hands, but Al-Nassr will take confidence from being the first team to stop the leaders' winning run in months.
Al-Hilal: Travels to visit Neom on Sunday, Jan 18.9
Al-Nassr: Hosts Al-Shabab on Saturday, Jan 17, as Ronaldo continues his pursuit of career goal number 1,000.
