Derby Shockwave: Malcolm's Early Goal and Kadsh's Red Card Rewire the Saudi Clasico
21 February 2026
Match context
Al Ittihad faced a fresh blow in the Clasico against Al Hilal on Saturday night in round 23 of the Saudi Roshen Pro League, following a fast start from the hosts.
Early strike and immediate pressure
The Brazilian Malcolm de Oliveira opened the scoring for Hilal in the fifth minute, receiving a fine pass from the left and guiding it into the net to give his team an early lead and apply pressure from the outset.
Disrupted by a red card
Just four minutes later, Al Ittihad were stunned as Hassan Kadsh was sent off for a foul on Malcolm near the penalty area. The referee awarded a direct free kick and a yellow card, but VAR overturned the yellow and produced a red, a decision that sparked debate among the fans.
Impact on the rest of the half
The red card forced the visitors to play with ten men for the remainder of the first half, giving Hilal more space to control midfield and push their attacking game, as Al Ittihad lost their usual balance at the back.
Looking ahead
The poor start weighed on Ittihad's morale as they tried to reorganize, while Hilal maintained forward momentum, complicating a potential comeback for the visitors.
Punchline 1: That red card happened so fast, even VAR needed a coffee break.
Punchline 2: If goals were jokes, Malcolm already delivered the punchline in the fifth minute and Kadsh handed out the red carpet for chaos.
