The Riyadh Season Cup 2024 is finally here, and the first game of the celebrated tournament saw the current leaders of the Saudi Pro League Al-Hilal take on Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF at Kingdom Arena last night. Surprised to many, it was the oil-rich team who managed to shock the Lionel Messi-led side in a seven-goal thriller, winning the game with a 4-3 score line despite having players absented due to the ongoing continental competitions of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. The next match of the Riyadh Season Cup 2024 will feature Messi’s Inter Miami CF and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
Al-Hilal Stormed to an Early 3-1 Lead in the Riyadh Season Cup 2024 Opener
The best team in the Saudi Pro League at the moment Al-Hilal raced to a resounding advantage in the first half of this Riyadh Season Cup 2024 opener, thanks to goals from Aleksandar Mitrović, Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Michael. The former Newcastle United and Fulham striker Mitrović was set up by his international teammate Sergej Milinković-Savić inside the penalty box, before the former finishing the ball into the back of net with immense calmness. Not long after the first blood, Al-Hamdan doubled Al-Hilal’s lead in this Riyadh Season Cup 2024 game with an effort just outside the dangerous zone; He had to thank the opposing goalkeeper Drake Callender for giving the ball to Al-Hilal earlier.
Inter Miami CF did pull one back with their new signing Luis Suárez, when Julian Gressel was left all alone to face the goalkeeper himself, but the United States international selflessly gave the ball to Suárez to reduce his team’s deficit in this Riyadh Season Cup 2024 game. However, Inter Miami CF’s joy was short-lived as Al-Hilal restored their two-goal cushion in the 44th minute, this time via Brazilian Michael. The Brazilian ex-CR Flamengo man stormed into the penalty area, before playing a one-two with Al-Hamdan and scoring the eventual header. To cap off an amazing attacking play, Michael even hit the “Siu” celebration, famously performed by Messi’s archrivals Ronaldo.
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Michael Delgado hit the Ronaldo ‘siuuu’ celebration after scoring for Al-Hilal in their 4-3 win against Inter Miami 👀😅
11 games without a win for Lionel Messi and his teammates 😬 pic.twitter.com/5n4EguemMD
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) January 29, 2024
Inter Miami CF Levelled Things Up but Malcom Had the Final Say in This Riyadh Season Cup 2024 Clash
The half-time talk by Gerardo Martino must have worked for Inter Miami CF, as they scored a couple of goals in split seconds after play was resumed in the second 45 minutes. David Ruiz was brought down by Mohammed Jahfali in the penalty box, allowing the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner Messi to pull one back for his team once again from the spot. The Argentina and Inter Miami CF skipper sent the goalkeeper to the wrong way by finding the top right corner during the penalty kick.
Influential for Inter Miami CF’s second goal in this Riyadh Season Cup 2024, Ruiz went on to equalise almost instantly after Messi’s spot kick. The 19-year-old player decided to take on the entire Al-Hilal defensive backline by himself, before firing a stunner past the opposing shot stopper to make things all square again in the Riyadh Season Cup 2024. The young footballer from Honduras previously scored three goals in 30 appearances in all competitions in the first season of his professional senior career in 2023.
Nevertheless, the last laugh of this Riyadh Season Cup 2024 opening match belonged to Al-Hilal, who found a last-minute winner with two minutes remaining in the normal playing time of 90 minutes. Malcom, who played with Messi during his tenure with Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona, had Yasser Alshahrani delivered a cross from the right flank just outside the six-yard box. The cross would take a deflection, but it did not affect Malcom from rising to the highest to meet the pass with a header, and the Brazilian would win Al-Hilal this intriguing Riyadh Season Cup 2024 encounter with his effort. The strike also meant Inter Miami CF have failed to win any of their three preseason games thus far.
Where to Watch Inter Miami CF vs. Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Season Cup 2024?
After Inter Miami CF’s defeat in the opening game at the Riyadh Season Cup 2024, Messi’s team will be facing an Al-Nassr side that are led by his long-time nemesis Ronaldo on the first day of February. Dubbed the Last Dance, the matchup is set to be one of the last encounters, if not the final clash between two of the greatest players to ever kick a football. Catch the game and even the final match of the Riyadh Season Cup 2024 between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr live via AsiaSport.com, the only name you need to bookmark when it comes to unparalleled live stream services for anything football matches for every football league and competition in the world!
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