Al Hilal wanted Rayan Aït-Nouri penalised for a potential handball in the build up, but the goal stood. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic said the half-time message from newly installed Al Hilal boss Simone Inzaghi was "to believe," and they did. Al Hilal pushed ahead again when former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly beat Ederson with a header. For Al Hilal, there was joy at the result, but also a sense of validation. Milinkovic-Savic, who left Lazio for Al Hilal in 2023, wasn't about to miss his chance to bite back.