Al Ahli toasting a stunning 3-1 away win over Al Hilal in the first leg of their AFC Champions League semifinals. This victory catapulted them into the final for the first time ever! The game played out in Riyadh, where the Saudi Pro League club exerted its influence. They outshot their opponents by a stunning 20 to 4.
Al Ahli’s starting eleven featured the likes of such talent. Superstars such as Roberto Firmino, Ivan Toney, Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessié, and Édouard Mendy all featured in the same match. With veteran coach Matthias Jaissle (formerly of Red Bull Salzburg) holding the reins, Al Ahli made their intentions clear within minutes.
Scoring found its way to an explosive start, beginning in the 9th minute when Brazilian defender Roger Ibañez cut a ball to the left wing. He quickly linked up with Galeno, who sped down the wing, made a precise late run and cut it back to Firmino. The Brazilian forward took his time and coolly placed the ball in the net to give Al Ahli the lead.
Almost immediately after that, in the 24th minute, Ivan Toney doubled Al Ahli’s lead. Following a series of well-coordinated passes, Toney found himself in a prime position and finished expertly past Al Hilal’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The opener sent the Al Ahli faithful into a frenzy, adding to the atmosphere in the stadium as fans saw their team starting to run the show.
Al Ahli’s supporters were once again celebrating! It almost changed four minutes into the second half when Toney had a second goal ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside decision. Even after this unfortunate turn, the squad did not lose grasp of the match.
Al Hilal suffered a tough blow as Kalidou Koulibaly picked up a second yellow card in the 60th minute. This dismissal had his squad playing a man down on the field. Rocketing shots past the goalkeeper and a brutal touch that whizzed past the goal post, Al Ahli kept the pressure on insisting for more.
In the dying seconds of the game, Al Ahli was given a penalty following a foul on Franck Kessié. Bounou stood tall yet again, saving from Kessié’s in the 86th minute. Riyad Mahrez too had a glorious opportunity to put the game to bed during stoppage time as he curled a shot off-target.
Al Hilal made every effort to claw their way back into the match. With 5 minutes of stoppage time to go, Firas Al-Buraikan scored their only goal. All hope for a comeback was lost with this late goal as Al Ahli had already begun their celebration of a deserving victory.
Al Hilal’s coach Jesús faced questions regarding his team’s performance. He acknowledged his responsibility for the defeat:
“It was a fantastic evening. I’m so, so proud.” – Matthias Jaissle
Al Ahli’s march to the final indeed cements their status as one of the Asian football’s heavyweights. On the back of this victory, they can now look ahead to fighting for their first-ever Asian crown in the final.
“I’m making decisions, making the lineup and strategy, so I’m responsible. The responsibility is on me.” – Jesús
Al Ahli’s impressive performance solidifies their place among the elite in Asian football. With this victory, they will have the opportunity to compete for their first-ever Asian crown in the final.
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