Aleksandar Mitrovic strikes late as Al Hilal avoid Saudi Pro League scare against Damac

Al Hilal extended their unbeaten run in the Saudi Pro League to 38 matches on Wednesday but needed a late goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic to secure a 3-2 home victory over Damac.

Defending champions Hilal, who completed last season unbeaten to clinch the title by 14 points, looked on course for another win when Mitrovic opened the scoring deep in first-half injury-time at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium. However, Damac fought back after the break and stunned their hosts by scoring twice in the space of four minutes through Francois Kamano and Habib Diallo.

Substitute Musaab Al Juwayrr levelled for Hilal in the 73rd minute before star striker Mitrovic grabbed his second with six minutes remaining to guide the Riyadh club to a tense victory.

By collecting all three points, Hilal reclaimed their place at the top of the SPL table after two games having eased past Al Okhdood 3-0 in their season opener.

But their first home game of the new league campaign was a far sterner test against a side who finished a whopping 55 points behind the champions last season.

When Mitrovic rose highest to nod home the opening goal late in the first half, after Mohammed Al Qahtani’s blocked shot went air-bound, it appeared to be business as usual. Yet instead of coiling against the mighty Hilal, Damac roared back as Kamano scored a spectacular equaliser. Under pressure from a crowd of Hilal players, the Guinean winger lobbed the ball over Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into the top corner.

Damac got themselves in front minutes later when Diallo shrugged off Kalidou Koulibaly to meet Ramzy Solan's fizzing cross into the six-yard box and fired into the Hilal goal.

The introduction of 21-year-old midfielder Al Juwayrr on the hour mark proved an inspired move by Hilal manager Jorge Jesus as the Saudi international smashed home the equaliser 12 minutes later.

Mitrovic then settled the home nerves by grabbing his second brace in as many league matches, flicking Renan Lodi’s deflected cross into the bottom corner. The Serbian striker now has seven goals in four games, including those scored in Hilal's triumphant Saudi Super Cup.

There was no place in the team for high-profile summer signing Joao Cancelo, who joined Hilal this week from Manchester City following Saudi right-back Saud Abdulhamid's historic move to Roma.

Also on Wednesday, Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq extended their perfect start to the season with a 1-0 victory over Al Okhdood at Abdullah Al Dabil Stadium, courtesy of Moussa Dembele's 63rd-minute goal.

There was also a dramatic 2-1 win for Al Wehda, who scored in the first and last minutes of their match against Al Orobah after Ziyad Al Hunaiti had equalised for the visitors.

On Tuesday, Al Nassr bounced back from their opening draw disappointment by thrashing Al Feiha 4-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo on the scoresheet. Brazilian midfielder Talisca scored Nassr's first and fourth goals either side of Ronaldo's first-half injury-time free-kick and Marcelo Brozovic's 85th-minute strike.

Al Ahli showed why they are in the market for a new striker - the Jeddah club are linked with England international Ivan Toney - by falling to a surprise 1-0 defeat at Al Fateh, while promoted Al Qadsiah continued their fine start to the campaign with a 1-0 win at Al Raed.

Three matches of the round remain and will take place on Friday: Al Riyadh host Al Kholood in the early-evening game before Al Khaleej face Al Shabab and Al Ittihad host Al Taawoun.