The Peninsula
Fans at King Saud University Stadium were treated to a magnificent display of attacking football as Al Hilal advanced to the 2019 AFC Champions League final with a 6-5 aggregate win over Al Sadd SC, despite losing the second leg 4-2 on home soil yesterday.
Al Hilal were made to work for a place in their third Asian Champions League final since 2014 - they lost in both 2014 and 2017 - as the Xavi Hernandez-coached visitors threatened a remarkable turnaround.
Al Hilal looked to have put the result beyond doubt when Salem Al Dawsari opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game to extend their overall advantage, but three goals in three minutes gave Al Sadd hope.
Akram Afif’s 17th minute penalty was swiftly followed by a clinical finish from Nam Tae-hee and a goal from Hassan Al Haydos, so that by the 20th minute Al Sadd were leading 3-1 on the night and trailing 5-4 on aggregate.
But five minutes later, the home side restored some of their overall advantage when Bafetimbi Gomis tucked away his effort following Sebastian Giovinco’s pass.
The Frenchman’s goal, his 10th in this year’s competition, was to prove decisive and, although Boualem Khouki headed in Al Sadd’s fourth of the night in injury time to set up a dramatic finish, the Qataris fell short of completing an astonishing comeback.
Al Hilal will host the first leg of the final on November 9 with the second leg on November 24.
Urawa hold a 2-0 lead going into the second leg of semi-final today.