Al Ittihad kicks off the Saudi Pro League championship defense with a triumphant start, as Karim Benzema notches a hat-trick.
In the opening day of the Saudi Professional League (SPL) for the 2024/25 season, Karim Benzema's treble spearheaded Al Ittihad's impressive 5-2 victory over Al Okhdood.
The French striker opened the scoring inside the first four minutes, setting the tone for an exhilarating match. Steven Bergwijn added a second goal for Al Ittihad when his free-kick deflected in at the near post. Okhdood halved the deficit through Juan Sebastian Pedroza, but Saeed Al Rubaie turned the ball into his own net to restore Al Ittihad's two-goal advantage.
Benzema then headed home Fabinho's floated cross to score his second goal, and despite Pedroza completing a brace for Okhdood, Benzema secured Al Ittihad's fifth goal to ensure a comfortable win.
Meanwhile, Joao Felix made an impressive debut for Al Nassr, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-0 rout of Al Taawoun. Felix's first goal was a first-time finish with his left foot, while Ronaldo added a penalty to make it 2-0, marking his 176th successful penalty and his 940th career goal. Kingsley Coman also got on the scoresheet with a looping header for Al Nassr.
Al Nassr's forward line, including Ronaldo, Coman, and Sadio Mane, clicked into gear during the match, suggesting a formidable partnership for the upcoming season. Felix played his debut match for Al Nassr, but the exact date is not specified in the available search results.
Elsewhere, Ivan Toney scored the only goal as Asian champions Al Ahli beat promoted Neom 1-0 in the SPL curtain raiser. Motab Al Harbi and Malcom scored for Al Hilal in their 2-0 win over Al Riyadh.
In the 2024/25 season, Benzema led Al Ittihad to a league and cup double, finishing the season with 21 Pro League goals and winning Player of the Year. Benzema had stated before the season that he would win trophies in Saudi Arabia, and his performances so far suggest that he is well on his way to achieving that goal.
