LONDON: Mohammad Al-Shalhoub was the unlikely hero as Al-Hilal got their AFC Champions League campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory at Al-Ain.
The Group C clash pitted two of the heavyweights of Middle East football against each other with Al-Hilal desperate to get their continental campaign off to a good start, having exited at the group stage this time last year.
But there was to be no early slip-up this time as the Riyadh giants snatched a well-earned win thanks to veteran Al-Shalhoub’s 65th-minute strike.
Al-Hilal were on top for most of the match and the pressure finally told when the club captain got on the end of a Mohamed Al-Buraik cross to fire into the top corner and give the visitors an advantage they would not relinquish.
Al-Ain’s woes were compounded in the final minute as captain Ismail Ahmed was shown the red card — a moment that summed up a miserable night for the UAE champions.
From the start Al-Hilal looked the brighter and more energetic and nearly grabbed the lead as early as the third minute when Carlos Eduardo pounced on a loose ball inside the box, forcing Khaled Eisa into making a good save.
Al-Ain’s one chance of the first-half came from a set piece with Japanese international Tsukasa Shiotani's free-kick narrowly off target in the fifth minute.
It was the Saudi Arabian champions who dominated possession and they finally made the pressure tell when Al-Shalhoub got the winner to ease Al-Hilal nerves.
There was little doubting the win came as a relief to a side still haunted by the calamitous campaign last year.
“A key win in the ACL race: 3 points in the bag. (It was a) good performance of the team in Al-Ain,” French striker Bafetimbi Gomis tweeted.
Elsewhere, Al-Ahli recorded a shock 2-0 win over Qatar’s Al-Saad. A brace from Omar Al-Somah was enough to beat the Qatar side who reached the Westside final last year
The Syrian striker was on fire and once again proved that when on form there are few in Asia that can match him in front of goal.
Al-Hilal get AFC Champions League campaign off to winning start at Al-Ain as Al-Ahli shock Al-Saad
Al-Hilal get AFC Champions League campaign off to winning start at Al-Ain as Al-Ahli shock Al-Saad
- Riyadh giants impress in the UAE to get campaign off to great start.
- Al-Ahli shock Qatar club Al-Saad as Al-Somah bags a brace.
Milan must maintain derby dominance to revive title race
- Milan are undefeated in the last six derbies, winning four
- Inter have dropped just two points in the last 15 games
MILAN: AC Milan need to maintain their recent dominance over neighbors Inter Milan in this weekend’s derby to keep alive any realistic hope of challenging for the Serie A title after losing ground to the league leaders.
Milan are undefeated in the last six derbies, winning four, and Sunday’s meeting at the San Siro feels like a must-win match for the second-placed side with Inter 10 points clear at the top.
At the start of January, three teams were battling for the Scudetto. Inter held a one-point lead over Milan, with reigning champions Napoli a further point back, but only one side has maintained title-winning form.
Inter have dropped just two points in the last 15 games to pull further away at the top while Milan have let seven points slip away in their most recent six games.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan have lost two league games all season compared to Inter’s four defeats, but drawing nine times has been their downfall and another stalemate on Sunday would be of little use to a side playing catch-up.
“In derbies there are no favorites,” Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“We saw it last season too, in the league we struggled and finished eighth, but we often won derbies. The derby is a story in itself.
“Nothing is over yet. There are 11 games left and the important thing is to stay united and give our best until the last minute.”
Inter are still without injured striker Lautaro Martinez, with Francesco Pio Esposito likely to lead the attack while Milan defender Matteo Gabbia is expected to be out for a month after undergoing a hernia operation.
DERBY DAY VERDICT
Inter’s most recent derby win came in April, 2024, where an away victory allowed them to clinch their last league title in front of the Milan fans.
That win was the last in a run of six successive victories over Milan, and while another derby victory would not seal the title this time, a gap of 13 points with 10 games left would leave Inter in cruise control for the rest of the season.
Napoli, meanwhile, are four points behind Milan, their title defense ended by two defeats in their last six games and they host Torino on Friday.
AS Roma, fourth in the standings, are at Genoa on Sunday, while Como are away to Cagliari on Saturday as Cesc Fabregas’ side have European qualification firmly in their sights.
Como are fifth, three points off Roma and one ahead of Juventus who host relegation-battling Pisa on Saturday.
