Al-Shamal beat Al-Hilal 3-1 in the AFC Champions League — The National

Qatar’s Al-Shamal defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal 3-1 at Al-Bayt Stadium in Qatar in an AFC Champions League Elite match. The defeat was the first for the Saudi Pro League leaders in the league stage, The National reports.

Match progress

The hosts opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute, when Wesley Saïd fired a low shot into the corner of the net. Al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari equalised in the 32nd minute, finishing a counterattack after Theo Hernández’s run down the left flank.

In the third minute of the second half, Baghdad Bounedjah put Al-Shamal back in front. Six minutes later, Mohamed Ben Romdhane scored the hosts’ third goal from close range to set the final score.

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Inzaghi explained the decline by fatigue

Al-Hilal head coach Simone Inzaghi explained his team’s second-half decline after the match by fatigue. The Saudi club were without Rúben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić, while Gabriel Martinelli missed the match through injury and Crysencio Summerville through suspension.

After three matches, Al-Hilal have six points, while Al-Shamal have collected five points after two draws in the opening rounds. The top eight teams from each of the 16-team West and East region leagues advance to the playoffs.

In another match of the day, the UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahli defeated Iran’s Esteghlal 2-0 in Dubai. Mateusão scored in the 68th minute, while Juan Alvina found the net six minutes before the end of the match.