Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Jawf: Al Hilal’s turbulent build-up to the kick-off of their 2015 AFC Champions League campaign continued as the Riyadh giants went down 1-0 to struggling Al Orobah in their Round 15 clash in the 2014/15 Saudi Professional League.
Playing in their first match under caretaker coach Marius Ciprian Panait following the departure of Laurentiu Reghecampf, Al Hilal slipped to their third defeat of the season after Kuwait international Mesaed Al Enzi scored the only goal of the game with a 69th minute penalty.
It was the second straight defeat for Al Hilal following the 2-1 reverse to Al Ahli in the Crown Prince Cup final, a result that led to the dismissal of Reghecampf just ten days before their 2015 ACL opener against Lokomotiv Tashkent on February 25.
Al Hilal, who finished runners-up in last year’s AFC Champions League under Romanian Reghecampf, are in Group C of this year’s edition of Asia’s premier club competition where they will also face Iran champions Foolad Khouzestan and 2011 ACL champions Al Sadd, who defeated Al Wahda on penalties in an epic play-off in the UAE, which ended 4-4 after extra-time.
Photo: AFP