French star Karim Benzema led his Al-Ittihad team to regain the winning tone with a wide victory over its guest, Abha, with a score of 4/2 this evening at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, within the thirteenth round of the Roshen Professional League.

Al-Ittihad’s goals were a hat-trick by Karim Benzema in the minutes (38-67-69), and a goal by the Brazilian Kornado in the 54th minute, while two goals were scored by Abha Ekambi in the 51st minute, and Fahd Al Jumaiah in the 85th minute.

With this result, Al-Ittihad’s score rose to 24 points, advancing to fifth place on goal difference from Al-Fateh, while Abha’s score froze at 13 points in thirteenth place.

Al-Ittihad began to put pressure on the course of the match from the first minutes, through Cornado’s penetration of Karim Benzema, who shot the ball outside the three posts.

Cornado returned to provide a smart pass to Karim, who played a ball to Romarinho coming from behind, who shot a ball that hit the defender and went out.

For the third time, Cornado played a smart volley for Benzema, but it was easily put into the hands of goalkeeper Tatarshanu.

Coach Hassan Khalifa was forced to make a forced substitution by removing the injured Romarinho and bringing in Marwan Al-Sahafi ten minutes after the first half.

Abha appeared with the first dangerous ball from a corner kick played by Saad Baqir on the head of Argentine defender Fabian, who played it and the defender took it away.

Abha returned through Cameroonian Ekambi to manipulate Al-Ittihad’s defense and play a leg ball behind the defenders for Fahd Al-Jamiya, who shot it into the side netting.

Frenchman Karim Benzema received a penalty kick after an obstruction by Saad Nateq, which the referee awarded after returning to video technology, so the Frenchman succeeded in scoring the first goal in the 38th minute.

Al-Ittihad threatened Abha's goal through a free ball that was blocked by the blocking wall and the ball went out for a corner.

Before the match referee blew the whistle at the end of the first half, Abha almost scored an equaliser, but Fabian's header went past the post.

The second half 

Abha began to put pressure on Al-Ittihad’s goal to adjust the score, but they succeeded, and Ekambi succeeded after a shot from Saad Baqir bounced off the goalkeeper to find the Cameroonian striker, who put it past Grohe as an equalizer in the 51st minute.

Three minutes had not passed before Al-Ittihad succeeded in scoring the second goal through a pass between Benzema and Cornado, which the latter placed in the upper corner as a second goal.

Ekambi almost scored the equalizer again after he sent a cross over the crossbar.

Al-Ittihad was able to score the third goal after a smart pass from Kornado to Frenchman Karim Benzema, who was alone with the goal and put it into the net as a third goal in the 67th minute.

Benzema returned to score the hat-trick after a pass from the Brazilian magician Kornado, setting it up as the fourth goal in the 69th minute.

Abha tried to return after a rebound from the defense reached Saad Baqir, who shot the ball into the defender’s body.

Cornado almost scored the fifth goal, but his ball passed the post.

Abha reduced the difference by scoring a second goal after Mohammed Al-Awfi’s cross on the head of Fahad Al-Jamiya, putting it into Grohe’s net in the 85th minute.

Abha missed the opportunity for the third goal after Fabian's header hit the crossbar.

Farha Al-Shamrani scored a fifth goal for Al-Ittihad, but the referee canceled it because Fawl was on the Al-Ittihad player before passing the goal.