Inzaghi's Gambit Turns the Derby on Its Head Against Al Nassr
12 January 2026
Second-half turnaround
Al Hilal overturned a 1-0 halftime deficit to seal a 3-1 victory over city rivals Al Nassr in Round 15 of the Roshen Saudi Pro League.
The hosts surged after the break, scoring three goals to flip the game in their favor.
Mari's debut and the coach's plan
The new signing Pablo Mari, who joined at the request of Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, spoke after the match on the Eight channel network: The start wasn't great; we fell behind, but the opponent was very good.
The turnaround was built on a clear halftime talk with the coach and a sharper performance after the break, leading to a memorable derby win.
Mari added that debuting in a derby and winning was a wonderful feeling, and he promised the fans: I will give my best to bring you joy, and I hope we achieve many things together this season.
Hilal had announced Mari's signing yesterday, ahead of his few minutes against Al Nassr at the coach's request.
Punchline: If talk at halftime could score, Inzaghi would own the scoreboard. Punchline 2: Mari's debut was a bullseye—my coffee hits the mark like that.
