Rajković Stars as Al-Ittihad Defeat Al-Hilal in Thrilling King’s Cup Quarter-Final Clash

Photo : Reuters

Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajković put on a stunning show to help Al-Ittihad reach the semi-finals of the King's Cup. His heroic performance, which included saving three penalties in a dramatic shootout, sealed a hard-fought victory over Al-Hilal.

The game, played in the packed Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, was no less than thrilling. It ended with the piercing of penalties as 3-1 after a thrilling 2-2 draw in regular and extra time which would leave the spectators an unforgettable match that would feel more like a final.

The French superstar Karim Benzema, who is the captain of Al-Ittihad, was one of the main players who played a significant role in the match. He scored twice in the game and converted a penalty during the shootout to help his team win.

Drama in the First Half
The first half ended goalless but not without drama. The most controversial moment came in the 44th minute when Benzema thought he had scored, but it was ruled offside.

Second Half Action
The game came alive in the second half. In the 63rd minute, Benzema broke the deadlock, connecting with a precise cross from Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti to give Al-Ittihad the lead.

Al-Hilal wasted no time and responded. On the 72nd minute, their captain, Salem Al-Dawsari capitalized on a gaffe by Fabinho of Al-Ittihad, to level it at 1-1.

Extra Time Drama
The match was now heading into extra time as both teams continued to play with all energy. Al-Hilal eventually took the lead in the 101st minute when Marcus Leonardo netted off a pass from Muteb Al-Harbi.

Al-Ittihad did not give up. In the 114th minute, Benzema scored once more, finishing off a beautiful assist from Abdulaziz Al-Bishi to make it 2-2. This was Benzema's fifth goal against Al-Hilal, including one scored while playing for Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup in 2023.

It was in the final minutes of extra time when Al-Ittihad thought they had won the match when Al-Bishi found the net, only for VAR to rule it offside.

The match went to penalties, and that is where Rajković was the hero as he saved three crucial penalties by Al-Hilal players. The match won 3-1 on penalties for Al-Ittihad.

A Historic Win
With this victory, Al-Ittihad qualified for the semi-finals to join Al-Qadsiah, Al-Shabab, and Al-Raed. For Al-Hilal, who were the winners of the last two editions of the King's Cup, this marked the end of the title defense.
This win further increased Al-Ittihad's historical upper hand over Al-Hilal in King's Cup matches, with seven victories in 18 meetings against the six wins and five draws from Al-Hilal.

Al-Ittihad fans will look forward to this exciting victory as a precursor to more triumphs as their team approaches the final stage of the King's Cup competition.

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