Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong endured a difficult night as his early red card set the tone for Al-Kholood’s heavy 4–0 home defeat to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

The Nigerian defender was sent off inside the opening 10 minutes, a turning point that left Al-Kholood chasing shadows as Karim Benzema led Al-Ittihad to a commanding victory, Footballrover reports.

William Troost-Ekong red card changes the game

It was a nightmare start for Ekong and Al-Kholood. The 32-year-old captain was initially shown a yellow card for a last-man foul on Benzema, but a VAR review upgraded it to red after just eight minutes.

Reduced to 10 men so early, Al-Kholood struggled to contain Al-Ittihad’s attacking quality. The dismissal handed the visitors full control, and they wasted little time in making their numerical advantage count.

The red card added to a tough run for Troost-Ekong, who has now been involved in key moments that have hurt his side in recent weeks.

Recall that on December 26, 2026, Ekong scored an own goal that led to a 2–0 home defeat against Al Taawoun, adding to his recent run of difficult moments.

Benzema hat-trick compounds Troost-Ekong misery

Al-Ittihad struck first in the 13th minute when a VAR check awarded a penalty after Myziane Maolida handled Moussa Diaby’s effort. Benzema calmly converted from the spot to open the scoring.

The former Real Madrid striker doubled his tally 15 minutes later, ghosting in at the back post to meet a pinpoint cross from Muhannad Al Shanqiti.

Benzema completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute, squeezing between two defenders to turn in Diaby’s low cross from close range.

Al-Ittihad remained dominant after the break. Goalkeeper Juan Pablo Cozzani denied Benzema a fourth with a fine save, while Al Shanqiti rattled the post with a long-range strike.

The pressure eventually told again when Saleh Al Shehri tapped in a fourth goal late on from Ahmed Al Ghamdi’s delivery.

The result marked Al-Ittihad’s fifth straight league win and extended their unbeaten away run to nine matches. Benzema now leads the scoring charts with seven goals this season and has already recorded two hat-tricks.

For William Troost-Ekong and Al-Kholood, it was another painful evening, with the club now losing their last five home games in the Saudi Pro League.

Like this post?
We’d be delighted to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the box below!

Last Updated on January 10, 2026 5:09 am by footballrover