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Karim Benzema and Aleksandar Mitrovic both opened their goalscoring accounts for their new clubs on the third matchday of the Saudi Pro League season on Thursday. Former Ballon d'Or winner Benzema, who became one of the biggest names to move to the big-spending Saudi Arabian league this summer, struck the opening goal in Al Ittihad's 4-0 win at Al Riyadh. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
- Saudi transfer tracker: Done deals, players linked, failed talks The former Real Madrid striker led a breakaway for the visitors in the 17th minute before finding the top corner of the net for his first goal in the competition following two scoreless outings. Abderrazak Hamdallah later netted a brace before Benzema assisted Saleh Al-Jamaan to put the seal on the emphatic win in second-half stoppage time and send Al Itthad top of the nascent league table. Mitrovic was making his debut for Al Hilal following his acrimonious £46 million ($58m) transfer from Premier League side Fulham on Saturday. The Serbian striker took little time to make an impact with his new club, scoring with a trademark header late in the first half. A Salem Al-Dawsari double and a late effort from Abdullah Al-Hamddan rounded out the 4-0 win, which was blighted by a second-half red card for former Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Elsewhere on Thursday, Riyad Mahrez set up ex-Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessié to head in a stoppage-time winner for Al Ahli at home to Al Okhdood. Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq missed a chance to join Al Ahli and Al Ittihad on maximum points from three games after they could only draw at home to Al Khaleej.
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