Ollie Watkins Shines in Al-Hilal Victory Against Al-Taawoun

Ollie Watkins arrived in Buraidah looking like a man with a point to prove. He left having reminded everyone exactly why Al-Hilal moved for him this summer.

The English striker produced a ruthless performance against Al-Taawoun in the seventh round of the Saudi Roshn League, echoing the sharp, clinical nights that once lit up his Premier League career.

Al-Hilal needed barely nine minutes for their new No. 9 to make his mark. Ruben Neves launched a long, raking pass from midfield, and Watkins read it before anyone else. One touch to burst clear, another to steady himself, then a calm, precise finish. The kind of goal he has scored dozens of times, but one that still carries a jolt of authority.

Al-Taawoun never really recovered from that early blow. Al-Hilal grew bolder, more fluid, their attacks stretching the home side across every blade of grass. Watkins didn’t dominate every moment, but he never drifted far from danger, constantly threatening the space behind the defence.

The pressure eventually turned into a rout, and when the fifth goal arrived, it was no surprise who delivered it. On 56 minutes, Watkins again surged from deep, timing his run perfectly as the Al-Taawoun back line opened up. Clean through once more, he finished with the composure of a man who has lived this scenario countless times.

Two chances. Two goals. His first brace in Al-Hilal colours.

For Watkins, 30, it was a familiar script. Last season with Aston Villa he turned the “double” into a habit, collecting five braces in the Premier League, including in back-to-back games against Liverpool and Manchester City in the final two rounds. Those performances helped define his reputation as one of England’s most reliable finishers.

His start in Saudi Arabia had been steady rather than spectacular. A debut goal in a 3-0 win over Al-Ahli hinted at what was to come, but quiet outings against Al-Shabab and Neom followed. The movement was there, the work rate was there; the final touch, briefly, was not.

That changed in Buraidah. This was the version of Watkins Al-Hilal thought they were signing: direct, decisive, and utterly unforgiving when the space opens up.

If this is the night he truly settles, the rest of the league has been given fair warning.