Ollie Watkins scores on dream Al-Hilal debut

Ollie Watkins enjoyed a dream start to his Saudi Pro League career, finding the net on his debut as Al-Hilal cruised to a 3-0 win against Al-Ahli on Tuesday night.

Introduced as a half-time substitute by manager Simone Inzaghi, the 30-year-old striker made his mark in the 86th minute, heading home a delivery from Sultan Mandash at the back post. His contribution capped off an emphatic performance that saw Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Crysencio Summerville score in the first half.

Speaking after the match, Watkins praised the quality of the competition, noting that the intensity and physical demands were comparable to the Premier League. He expressed his excitement regarding the warm reception from the fans and the overall standard of the league.

The £51 million transfer marks a significant new chapter for Watkins, who departed Aston Villa as their all-time top scorer in the Premier League. The victory keeps Al-Hilal at the top of the league table with a perfect record of 12 points from four matches.

Simone Inzaghi’s squad now looks ahead to a testing away fixture against Al-Shabab on September 4. Following his clinical debut goal, Watkins will be pushing for his first start as the team aims to maintain their winning streak.