Asisat Oshoala delivered a dramatic stoppage-time goal, but it proved insufficient as Al Hilal Women were held to a 1–1 draw by Al Ula Women in the Saudi Women’s Premier League on Friday.
In what was a tense and closely fought contest, both sides battled for control with few clear chances separating them. Just when the match appeared destined to end goalless, Oshoala rose to the occasion in added time. The six-time African Player of the Year struck in the 90+1 minute, calmly finishing to give Al Hilal a late lead and spark celebrations among the home fans.
However, the drama was far from over. Deep into stoppage time, Al Ula responded with a heartbreaking equaliser as Selma Kapetanovic found the net in the 90+7 minute, rescuing a point and silencing the hosts in stunning fashion.
Despite the late setback, Oshoala’s individual brilliance continues to stand out. The Nigerian star now has 10 league goals and three assists in 13 appearances, bringing her overall tally this season to an impressive 17 goals and four assists across all competitions.
The result leaves Al Hilal fifth on the table with 20 points as the season nears its conclusion. They will play their final league match against Eastern Flames on April 23 before turning attention to a Saudi Women’s Cup semi-final clash against Al Qadsiah Women.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
