Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal got their AFC Champions League campaign up and running with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv on Wednesday with the scoreline making last year’s runners-up the early Group C leaders.
Al Hilal captain Saud Kariri opened the scoring for the two-time Asian champions on 11 minutes before Yousef Al Salem doubled the advantage just three minutes later.
Sardor Mirzayev reduced the deficit spectacularly from range on 39 minutes, but in the second half Al Hilal went two goals ahead once more as Thiago Neves rifled home his own well-struck effort on the 71st minute.
And with Iranian champions Foolad Khouzestan and 2011 winners Al Sadd sharing a goalless draw in the group’s earlier game in Ahwaz, Al Hilal find themselves as Group C frontrunners as they began their bid for a third continental title.
Match reaction: Panait praises Al Hilal’s great display
New Al Hilal signing Georgios Samaras surged through inside 10 minutes after powering through three challenges, but once through on goal, the Greece forward’s attempt wafted narrowly high of the top-right hand corner.
But the miss was forgotten just a couple of minutes later as Al Hilal captain Kariri opened the scoring with a thumping header from an in-swinging corner from the left-hand side after Lokomotiv goalkeeper Abrorjon Karimiov had come and missed the ball entirely.
With Lokomotiv pushing forward to find a quick response, the visitors left themselves open to the counterattack, and as the ball broke loose, Khalid Kaabi set off on a bursting run down the right flank before slipping in Yasir Al Shahrani whose driven low pass across the face of goal was met by Al Salem who fired home.
And Neves could have put Al Hilal three goals up just before the half hour mark but the Brazilian, always a threat from range, saw his effort from outside of the penalty area flash narrowly over.
Al Hilal continued to turn the screw but with six minutes of the half remaining Lokomotiv had pulled a goal back in stunning fashion as Sanjar Shaakhmedov rolled the ball into the path of Mirzayev and the midfielder connected with a first-time sweetly-struck pile-driver from 25 yards out that screamed into the top-right corner past Abdullah Al Sdairy’s despairing dive.
In the second half, Al Hilal were again the most dangerous-looking going forward and Al Salem had the ball in the net again but this time the assistant’s flag ruled out the midfielder’s second shortly before the hour mark.
But on 71 minutes, Al Hilal did restore their two goal cushion as Salman Al Faraj danced inside from the left-hand side before laying the ball off to Neves on the edge of the penalty area and this time the Brazilian did not miss from range, flighting a splendid left-footed strike into the top right-hand corner past Karimov.
And third goal was enough for the Riyadh-club as they were able to see out the remainder of the tie in some comfort and claim all three points.
Photo: WSG