Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Al Hilal confirmed their Round of 16 spot with three matches to spare after cruising past Al Shorta 4-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 tie at Kingdom Arena on Tuesday.

The victory extended Al Hilal’s perfect run to five wins, mathematically assuring the Saudi Arabian side a top-eight finish in the West Zone League Stage regardless of the remaining results.

Iraq’s Al Shorta, meanwhile, remain on the brink of elimination with only one point.

Al Shorta entered the match still seeking their first win after three consecutive defeats, while Simone Inzaghi handed 21-year-old goalkeeper Mathieu Patouillet his Al Hilal debut.

First-choice stars Yassine Bounou, Salem Al Dawsari, Darwin Nunez and Ruben Neves started on the bench.

Despite Al Hilal’s control in possession, Al Shorta created the first opportunity when Ahmed Farhan fired wide from outside the area.

A minute later, Kaio Cesar’s sharp run into the box nearly unlocked the visiting defence, only for his cut-back to be cleared.

Al Hilal pushed forward and almost found the opener in the 24th minute, with Marcos Leonardo drawing a superb save from Hasan Ahmed after being set up by Malcom.

The breakthrough arrived in first-half stoppage time. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic slipped a pass through to Malcom, whose initial shot was blocked, but the Brazilian reacted quickly to deliver a lofted ball that Leonardo powered into the net with a commanding header.

Three minutes after the restart, Milinkovic-Savic released Malcom again, but Mehdi Ashabi halted the chance with an impeccably timed challenge.

Kaio Cesar twice went close shortly after, first having an effort blocked before heading narrowly wide.

Al Shorta’s challenge worsened when Ahmed Yahia received a second yellow card on 61 minutes for a foul on Cesar.

Al Hilal capitalised immediately, with Milinkovic-Savic rising to head in Joao Cancelo’s free-kick for the second goal.

Leonardo added his second of the night in the 72nd minute, meeting Nasser Al Dawsari’s cross with another precise header to make it 3-0.

Al Hilal continued to press late on, with Ahmed producing a fingertip stop to deny Mohammed Al Qahtani in the 88th minute.

Cancelo, however, sealed the emphatic win in stoppage time with a composed finish.