{"id":289890,"date":"2023-09-15T02:36:10","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T02:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=289890"},"modified":"2023-09-15T02:36:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T02:36:10","slug":"benzema-scores-bizarre-goal-with-knee-to-help-al-ittihad-go-top-of-spl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/benzema-scores-bizarre-goal-with-knee-to-help-al-ittihad-go-top-of-spl\/","title":{"rendered":"Benzema scores bizarre goal with knee to help Al-Ittihad go top of SPL"},"content":{"rendered":"
Karim Benzema scored an unusual goal with his knee to help Al-Ittihad return to winning ways and go top of the Saudi Pro League.<\/p>\n
Benzema netted his third league strike in his sixth game with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side since moving to the Middle East from Real Madrid on a deal worth \u00a386m-per-year.<\/p>\n
Having lost 4-3 to title rivals Al-Hilal in their last match before the international break, Al-Ittihad looked as if they were going to be frustrated by Al-Akhdoud, who had picked up just four points from their first five games of the season.<\/p>\n
However, on 72 minutes a nice team move saw Haroune Camara play a dangerous ball across the box.<\/p>\n
Benzema was there but Al-Akhdoud defender Saeed Al-Rubaie got a touch on the ball, which then bounced up in the air, before the French striker’s quick-thinking saw him cleverly nudge it past\u00a0Paulo Vitor with his knee.<\/p>\n
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Karim Benzema scored a bizarre goal with his knee to help Al-Ittihad beat Al-Akhdoud 1-0<\/p>\n
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It was Benzema’s third goal in his sixth Saudi Pro League match for Nuno Espirito’s Santo’s side<\/p>\n
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It could have been even better for Benzema – who lined up ahead of a midfield pairing of fellow summer signings Fabinho and N’Golo Kante – but the 35-year-old missed a golden chance to double his side’s lead.<\/p>\n
After some more neat play from Al-Ittihad, Fabinho played a delicious ball in behind the defence which Benzema ran onto.<\/p>\n
However, just as he was preparing to round Vitor, who had come out of his goal, the Real Madrid legend took a tumble and fell to the ground.<\/p>\n
This allowed Vitor to scramble the ball away to safety and keep the score at just 1-0. Nevertheless, Benzema wasn’t made to rue his error as Al-Ittihad picked up all three points.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The result takes them two points clear of Al-Hilal with 15 points from six games, but their rivals – who have the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Neymar, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic in their ranks – have a game in hand which sees them\u00a0take on Al-Riyadh on Friday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Benzema did suffer the embarrassment of taking a tumble later when he was through on goal<\/p>\n
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The striker (right) lined up with fellow summer signings N’Golo Kante (centre) and Fabinho<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n