Sealed Tactics, Open Goals: Neom Edges Al Hilal 2-1 in a Secrecy-Driven Friendly
17 December 2025
Match snapshot
Al Hilal fell to a 2-1 defeat against NEOM in the friendly played Wednesday evening as part of preparations for the return of domestic and continental competitions.
Key moments
The capital club took the lead through Marcus Leonardo in the 25th minute, and Ahmed Abdu equalized for NEOM from a penalty before halftime. NEOM sealed the second goal through Luciano in the 80th minute.
Secrecy and lineup notes
The Al Hilal–NEOM friendly was kept off media and social channels, as Italian coach Simone Inzaghi ordered no media coverage to safeguard the secrecy of tactical and technical preparations ahead of the December 22 clash with Sharjah in the Elite Asian Champions League.
The coach also gave every player a chance due to the absence of internationals, plus Yassine Bounou and Kalidou Koulibaly who were with their national teams for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Earlier, the team beat Bahraini Al Muharraq 1-0 in a friendly, with Serbian Sergej Savic scoring.
Currently Al Hilal sits second in the Roshen Saudi League with 23 points after nine rounds, while leading the West group of the Elite Asian Champions League on a perfect run after five rounds.
Punchline 1: Inzaghi's game plan is so secret that even the cameras need a password.
Punchline 2: If secrecy were a defender, it would be Kalidou Koulibaly—tough to break down, even in a lineup.
