In the 79th minute, with the score tied at 1-1 and Al Hilal needing a goal to keep pace with Al Nassr, Al Khaleej's left-back Pedro Rebocho had the ball at the edge of his own penalty area. After a few touches moving forward, the Portuguese defender passed back to his goalkeeper without looking. Al Hilal midfielder Sultan Mandash seized the opportunity, intercepted the ball, and scored with a single touch, securing a 2-1 victory for the visiting team.

Rebocho and several teammates collapsed in dismay, clutching their heads after the error. The 31-year-old defender quickly retrieved the ball from the net and returned it to the center circle. However, Al Khaleej failed to score again in the remaining time.

The victory brought Al Hilal to 77 points after 31 rounds, with only three rounds left in the season. Simone Inzaghi's squad is now just two points behind Al Nassr. However, the top two teams will face each other in the penultimate round on the evening of 12/5, meaning both have control of their championship destiny. Without Rebocho's error, Al Nassr might have had enough of a points advantage to secure the championship even with a loss to Al Hilal.

After the match at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd stadium, an Al Khaleej member was seen laughing with Rebocho and rubbing his thumb and forefinger together in a money gesture. This implied Rebocho might have received money for the error.

Al Khaleej currently sits in 11th place in the Saudi Pro League and no longer has any objectives. The championship is contested solely by Al Nassr and Al Hilal. Al Nassr's remaining opponents are: Al Shabab, Al Hilal, and Damac. Al Hilal will face: Al Nassr, Neom, and Al Fayha.

Ronaldo is still pursuing his first major title since moving to Saudi Arabia in late 2022. If Jorge Jesus's squad loses to Al Hilal, Al Nassr's advantage in the title race will vanish. Therefore, the upcoming match is being called "the most valuable match in Pro League history."

By Hoang An