ACL Elite Week 6: Al Hilal back on top as Al Ahli rallies and Ronaldo-less Al Nassr loses
The group stage of the newly rebranded AFC Champions League Elite continued this week, with three Saudi clubs in contention for Asia’s most prestigious club trophy. Al Hilal, Al Nassr and Al Ahli are among the favorites to lift the continental title, although they face stiff competition from clubs in Qatar, UAE, Japan and South Korea.
Here, Al Arabiya English selects the biggest moments from the fifth round of group stage fixtures as Al Nassr suffered in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, losing at home to Al Sadd. Elsewhere, Al Ahli salvaged a late draw with Esteghlal and Al Hilal went top of the West Asian standings with a comfortable win over Al Gharafa.
Al Hilal returns to summit
Al Hilal may currently be behind Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League standings, but Jorge Jesus’ side is back on top in the ACL Elite after sweeping past Qatar’s Al Gharafa with ease in Riyadh. The visiting team managed just one off-target shot on goal in a toothless 3-0 defeat as Jorge Jesus’ side dominated at the Kingdom Arena. In the end, the three-goal margin flattered Al Gharafa.
Talented young Brazilian Marcos Leonardo put Al Hilal ahead, firing into the roof of the net from close range after an excellent run from Yasser al-Shahrani had opened up space in the Al Gharafa penalty area. Al Hilal continued to press and Al Gharafa goalkeeper Sergio Rico was called into action multiple times – producing a series of brilliant saves from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Malcom (twice) and Salem al-Dawsari.
Despite Rico’s best efforts, Al Hilal finally broke through to double its lead after 82 minutes, as Aleksandar Mitrovic picked up al-Dawsari’s pass before slotting home a right-footed shot. It was the Serbia striker’s fifth goal in this season’s ACL Elite, moving him third in the race for the Asian Golden Boot. Midfielder Segej Milinkovic-Savic – Al Hilal’s hero in its last Saudi Pro League outing – completed the 3-0 victory a few minutes later with a textbook header from Malcom’s corner. The win moved Al Hilal ahead of fellow Saudis Al Ahli on goal difference.
Toney spot on to rescue Al Ahli draw
Ivan Toney bagged his second successive ACL Elite brace as his pair of penalties saw Al Ahli twice come from behind to draw 2-2 with Iran’s Esteghlal in Jeddah. Toney netted both goals in Al Ahli’s impressive 2-1 away win over Al Ain last time out in Asian competition and the English striker repeated his double salvo at King Abdullah Sports City to put his team level on points with new ACL Elite group stage leader Al Hilal.
Esteghlal has struggled to assert itself on this season’s ACL Elite, winning just once so far. But the team from Tehran produced an impressive performance in Saudi Arabia, going ahead just before half-time through Brazilian defender Raphael Silva, who sprung the Al Ahli offside trap to volley home. However, the two teams went into the interval level when Franck Kessie was brought down in the box; Toney stepped up to convert from the penalty spot.
The away team regained the lead shortly after the break as Mohammadhossein Eslami struck a stunning left-footed volley from 23 meters out, but the Iranian midfielder went from hero to zero on 81 minutes after being sent off for a stamp on Saad Yaslam. His team-mates couldn’t hold on without him. Esteghlal’s 10 men conceded a penalty as Toney was clattered inside the area, with the Al Ahli No. 99 dusting himself down to score and claim a 2-2 draw.
Ronaldo-less Al Nassr falls to Al Sadd
Al Nassr suffered its first defeat in this season’s ACL Elite as Qatari visitor Al Sadd struck deep in stoppage time to secure a valuable 2-1 victory in Riyadh. Cristiano Ronaldo was missing for Al Nassr and Stefano Pioli’s side sorely missed its captain and talisman, who had netted four goals in his past four ACL Elite games.
With Ronaldo out, it was AFC Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif who took center stage – showing again that he is a man for the big occasion. Afif gave reigning Qatari champion Al Sadd the lead 55 minutes into the match, picking up a hopeful clearance from Cristo Gonzalez, before sprinting clear and coolly slotting past Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento.
Al Nassr fought hard for a leveler and was rewarded on 80 minutes when Al Sadd defender Romain Saiss – who was on loan at Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab last season – put through his own net. It was a goal created by exciting Brazilian teenager Wesley, with the second-half substitute’s direct running and teasing ball across goal forcing the mistake from Morocco national team captain Saiss.
Home hearts were broken soon after in Riyadh, however, as Al Sadd snatched a dramatic late winner. Al Nassr substitute Mohammed al-Fatil brought down Afif in the box and with 99 minutes on the clock, Algerian winger Adam Ounas emphatically scored from the resulting spot-kick to send Al Sadd through to the next round. Al Nassr remains a place ahead of the Qataris, having also safely secured its passage to the round of 16.
Best of the rest
Reigning Asian champion Al Ain continued to labor in this season’s competition as the Emirati outfit was held to a 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor. Otabek Jo’raqo’ziyev gave the home side the lead on six minutes but the 2023-24 AFC Champions League top scorer Soufiane Rahimi struck early in the second half to equalize. Things could have been even worse for Al Ain after Yahia Nader was shown a red card on 55 minutes but held on for a 1-1 draw that keeps the club second-bottom of the table and in danger of missing out on the next round.
Al Wasl and Al Rayyan shared the spoils in Dubai as a late own goal from Emirati defender Salem al-Azizi denied the home side victory, though it still confirmed its place in the next round. Both sides exchanged blows but it seemed Al Wasl had landed the knockout punch when Caio Canedo converted from Jonatas Santos’ pull-back on 77 minutes. However, there was still time for the Qatari visitor to snatch a point thanks to al-Azizi’s unfortunate intervention five minutes from time.
Persepolis claimed a dramatic victory over Al Shorta thanks to two very late goals at the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. Mohanad Ali had given Al Shorta an early lead with a well-improvised lob and it appeared the Iraqi side was on course for its first win in this season’s competition until a late flourish from Persepolis. An 89th-minute goal from Oston Urunov got the Iranians level before Giorgi Gvelesiani’s penalty – in the 13th minute of stoppage time – helped Persepolis to a 2-1 victory that propelled the club up to sixth in the standings.
