Karim Benzema failed to move above Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League top scorer standings as Al-Ittihad conceded a 96th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with an Al-Khaleej side 27 points below them at Dammam’s Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium.
Al-Ittihad only managed their first attempt on target in the 34th minute, when Benzema’s low strike from inside the box was held by former Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic.
Al-Khaleej, who are closer to the relegation zone than the top five, had the better of the first half and were unfortunate not to go ahead when Abdulla Al Salem’s drive was turned behind by Predrag Rajkovic.
Laurent Blanc’s team were much-improved after the break and looked the more dangerous, with former Premier League Player of the Season N’Golo Kante driving them forward.
Winger Abdulrahman Alobud tapped them ahead in the 78th minute on a day when Benzema was presented with the division’s Goal of the Week award for the former France striker’s effort in Al-Ittihad’s 4-1 comeback win over title rivals Al-Hilal four days earlier.
After centre-back Saad Al-Mousa handled inside the box, former Greece midfielder Kostas Fortounis slotted in the hosts’ spot kick to earn the ninth-placed team a deserved point.
Make that 4⃣ 🇬🇷
Kostas Fortounis gave Al Khaleej the equaliser deep into stoppage time ⏱️#RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/EEqtTXIxHs
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) February 26, 2025
Benzema vs Ronaldo
2022 Ballon d’Or winner Benzema has 16 goals and seven assists in the 2024/25 Pro League, with Ronaldo also scoring 16 but contributing four fewer assists for Al-Nassr.
Five-time Ballon d’Or recipient Ronaldo put his team ahead in the 48th minute of their 2-0 win at Al-Wehda on Tuesday, with two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane adding their second during added time.
Benzema failed to score for the first time in four matches, having produced three goals and two assists in his previous three games.
With 12 matches remaining, Al-Ittihad’s failure to win for only the fourth time in 22 league games this season means they are five points clear of Al-Hilal and nine above Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, who are level on points with Al-Qadisiyah.
Benzema Real Madrid stats
Benzema’s 354 goals across 14 years for Real Madrid make him the Spanish giants’ second-highest all-time scorer behind former team-mate Ronaldo, who hit 451.
The 2022 World Cup runner-up with France has said in interviews that he sees himself as an ambassador for football in Saudi Arabia who can help entice more elite European footballers to the league.
After leaving Madrid a year before the end of his contract, Benzema joined Al-Ittihad on a three-year contract in 2023.
Benzema in Saudi Arabia
The 37-year-old’s first season in Saudi Arabia produced a return of 13 goals and eight assists in 29 matches that was low by his prolific standards as Al-Ittihad endured a turbulent 2023/24, finishing without a trophy and sacking current Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo in November.
Former Barcelona sporting director Ramon Planes joined the nine-time champions in the same role he held at the Spanish giants in January, and ex-PSG manager Blanc had led them to the top of the table since replacing Argentine Marcelo Gallardo in July.
Benzema’s goals this season have included one against Al-Nassr in a 2-1 win in Al-Ittihad’s final match before their winter break.