Al Hilal Triumphs in Comeback to Secure Spot in Asian Champions League Quarter-Finals

Al Hilal delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor on Tuesday, overturning a first-leg deficit and securing their spot in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League. They will be joined in the next stage by fellow Saudi club Al-Ahli.

Riyad Mahrez played a pivotal role in Al Ahli’s triumph over Qatar’s Al Rayyan, scoring twice in quick succession late in the match to seal a 2-0 win in Jeddah, translating to a 5-1 victory on aggregate.

After suffering a 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Tashkent last week, Al Hilal rebounded brilliantly at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, achieving a 4-1 aggregate victory against Pedro Moreira’s Pakhtakor.

The hosts equalised on aggregate in the 31st minute when Hamad Al Yami executed a perfectly timed diving header, capitalising on a backheel from Salem Al-Dawsari that released Mohamed Kanno behind the defence, whose cross found Al Yami at the far post.

Eleven minutes later, the Saudis increased their lead as Kanno surged through Pakhtakor’s midfield, delivering a stunning defence-splitting pass that allowed Malcom to slide his shot past goalkeeper Jhonatan.

Yassine Bounou made a crucial reflex save to deny Pakhtakor striker Flamarion early in the second half, a moment that proved decisive as Al-Dawsari converted a penalty in the 51st minute after being fouled by Khodjiakbar Alijonov.

Nasser Al-Dawsari rounded off the scoring in the 92nd minute with a close-range finish, ensuring a comprehensive victory.

This win propels Al Hilal into Monday’s draw for the latter stages of the competition, which will be held in a centralised format in Jeddah from April 25 to May 3.

“We were determined to win for the supporters, for everyone, for ourselves,” said Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

“We knew the first match was tough under challenging conditions, but today we showcased our talent and teamwork on the pitch. Our desire to win was evident.”

Meanwhile, Al Ahli entered their second leg against Al Rayyan with a two-goal advantage. Despite dominating play in the first half, it took until 13 minutes from time for Matthias Jaissle’s side to extend their lead.

Mahrez demonstrated his skill and composure, controlling Galeno’s lofted pass over the Al Rayyan defence before turning to expertly lift his shot over goalkeeper Paulo Victor.

The Algerian added a second goal just six minutes later, finishing emphatically after a lay-off from Gabri Veiga in the penalty area.

With these results, all three Saudi Arabian clubs competing in the tournament have successfully qualified for the quarter-finals, following Al Nassr’s qualification on Monday alongside Qatar’s Al-Sadd.