Al Hilal Remain Unbeaten in AFC Champions League Despite Neymar Injury
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Al Hilal continued their flawless run in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite with a commanding 3-0 victory over Iran’s Esteghlal on Monday. The triumph was spearheaded by Aleksandar Mitrovic, who delivered a stunning hat-trick, but the evening was marred by an injury to star forward Neymar.
Mitrovic opened the scoring at the Kingdom Arena in the 15th minute, capitalizing on a tap-in to give Al Hilal an early advantage. The Serbian striker doubled the lead in the 33rd minute with another precise finish. Completing his hat-trick in the 74th minute, Mitrovic headed Joao Cancelo’s cross into the bottom corner, sealing the win for the Saudi Pro League side.
The victory keeps Al Hilal at the top of the league phase, having won all four of their matches. However, concerns arose late in the game when Neymar, who recently returned from a lengthy absence due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), was forced to leave the field just 29 minutes after coming off the bench.
Al Ahli’s Dominant Performance
In Jeddah, Al Ahli also showcased their prowess with a resounding 5-1 win over Iraq’s Al Shorta. Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez were instrumental in the victory, each scoring twice. Firmino headed in Ziyad Al-Johani’s cross in the 14th minute to open the scoring. Although Al Shorta’s Sajjad Jasim equalized after Franck Kessie saw his penalty saved by Ahmed Basil, Firmino restored the lead in first-half stoppage time.
Firmino then assisted Feras Al-Brikan for the third goal early in the second half. Mahrez extended the lead further, netting goals in the 61st and 65th minutes to secure the emphatic win. Al Ahli, like Al Hilal, have maintained a perfect record in the competition so far.
Draws for Al Wasl and Persepolis
Elsewhere, Al Wasl of the United Arab Emirates held Qatar’s Al Sadd to a 1-1 draw in Dubai. Alexis Perez gave Al Wasl the lead with a deflected goal in the 29th minute, but Romain Saiss equalized for Al Sadd just after the hour mark.
In another closely contested match, Iran’s Persepolis drew 1-1 with Al Gharafa from Qatar. Farshad Faraji put Persepolis ahead in the 53rd minute, but substitute Ahmed Al-Ganehi leveled the score three minutes later, resulting in both teams sharing the points.
Upcoming Fixtures
Looking ahead, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will face reigning champions Al Ain on Tuesday, while Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor is set to compete against Qatar’s Al Rayyan. Al Hilal and Al Ahli currently lead the league phase, each boasting an unbeaten record and a four-point gap over third-placed Al Sadd. Al Nassr trails closely in fourth place.
The top eight teams from both West and East Asia in the 12-team league phase will advance to the knockout rounds scheduled for March, intensifying the competition as clubs vie for continental glory.
