Alkass Digital
Talking points from the week in Asian football:
AL-HILAL MAINTAIN LEAD AFTER MILINKOVIC-SAVIC HITS HAT-TRICK
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored a hat-trick as Al-Hilal maintained their 10-point lead over Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League with a 7-0 thrashing of Abha on Friday.
The former Lazio midfielder put his side in front in the 18th minute before Aleksandar Mitrovic scored from the penalty spot to double his side's lead seven minutes later, and Salem Al-Dawsari added the third 18 minutes from time.
Milinkovic-Savic netted the fourth goal six minutes later while Mohamed Kanno and Ruben Neves were also on target, with the Serbian completing his hat-trick five minutes into added time.
Al-Nassr, who have played one game fewer than Al-Hilal, defeated Al-Ittifaq 3-1 with Ronaldo scoring his side's third as the Riyadh-based outfit remained in second, while Al-Ahli are in third after their 4-0 win over Al-Hazm.
LATE SHOW MOVES WELLINGTON PHOENIX CLEAR AT A-LEAGUE SUMMIT
Wellington Phoenix opened up a three-point gap at the top of the A-League on Saturday with a late 2-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
Injury-time goals from Kosta Barbarouses and Ben Old earned the New Zealand-based side a win that takes them clear of second-placed Melbourne Victory, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Melbourne City.
"The game's never done until it's over," said Wellington coach Giancarlo Italiano. "I felt the game was very cat and mouse."
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URAWA REDS SLUMP TO CLUB WORLD CUP DEFEAT AS SKORZA DEPARTS
Urawa Red Diamonds slipped to a 4-2 loss against Egypt's Al-Ahly in the third-place playoff at the FIFA Club World Cup as coach Maciej Skorza left the Japanese outfit on a negative note.
Jose Kante and Alex Scholz scored to pull Urawa level after Yasser Ibrahim and Percy Tau had given the African champions an early two-goal lead.
Yoshio Koizumi's own goal put Al-Ahly back in front before Ali Maaloul's injury time effort completed the win.
The game was the last in charge for Skorza, who led Urawa to the Asian Champions League title in May, less than six months after his appointment.
ALOISI LEAVES BRISBANE ROAR TO PURSUE 'OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITY'
Brisbane Roar announced the departure of Ross Aloisi from the role of head coach on Sunday, saying the former midfielder has left the club to take on an "overseas opportunity".
Aloisi was appointed by Brisbane in May and led the club to the final of the Australia Cup, where they lost 3-1 to Sydney FC in October.
He had also overseen a solid start to the new A-League campaign and leaves Brisbane in fifth place in the 12-team competition, six points behind leaders Wellington Phoenix.