Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Al Hilal climbed back to the top of the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 West Zone standings with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Al Gharafa SC on Tuesday.

The four-time Asian champions are now level on 16 points with fellow Saudi side Al Ahli Saudi FC but lead on goal difference.

Al Gharafa, with just four points, retain a slim chance of progression, while the result confirmed UAE’s Al Wasl FC’s spot in the knockout stage following their 1-1 draw with Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC on Monday.

With qualification already secured, Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus rotated his squad, making four changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Al Sadd SC last week.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, Renan Lodi, Joao Cancelo, and Hassan Al Tambakti started on the bench, but the changes did little to disrupt the team’s flow.

Al Hilal struck first in the 18th minute when Yasser Al Shahrani’s surging run down the right flank ended with a precise cutback that Marcos Leonardo converted for his third goal of the campaign.

Al Shahrani, making his first start of the competition, nearly doubled the lead with a long-range effort that goalkeeper Rico saved after a second attempt.

Rico proved a formidable obstacle for Al Hilal throughout the first half, denying Malcom and Abdullah Al Hamddan in one-on-one situations and receiving help from the crossbar after Malcom’s curling effort beat him.

Despite Al Hilal’s dominance, Al Gharafa entered halftime trailing by just one goal.

The Saudi side resumed their control in the second half, with Malcom coming close in the 51st minute after dribbling past Abdallah Sirelkhatim and forcing Rico into another fine save.

Salman Al Dawsari, set up by Malcom in the 70th minute, unleashed a powerful shot from the center of the box but was again thwarted by the Gharafa goalkeeper.

However, Al Hilal’s persistence paid off late in the match. Substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute with a stinging low drive from the edge of the box that deflected past Rico.

Three minutes later, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sealed the win with a towering header, capping off a dominant display by the Saudi giants.