DOHA: Saudi giants Al Hilal survived a huge scare from Qatar’s Al Sadd before advancing to the AFC Champions League final on aggregate on Tuesday, despite crashing to a shock 4-2 defeat in their second-leg encounter.
Having won their semifinal first leg in Doha 4-1 earlier this month, Al Hilal were seemingly comfortable in the knowledge Al Sadd would be required to come up with a special effort to overturn the massive deficit in front of their home fans in Riyadh.
But although Xavi’s Al Sadd scored three goals inside four minutes during a frenetic phase of the game in the first half, they fell short to lose 6-5, much to the relief of the packed crowd at the King Saud University Stadium.
The match even ended on a dramatic note with Al Sadd earning a free kick just outside the penalty area with a few seconds to go in stoppage time.
But Nam Tae-hee’s cracking effort was stopped by Al Hilal goalkeeper Abdulla Al-Maiouf as Razvan Lucescu’s men advanced to their third continental final inside six years, having finished runners up in 2014 and 2017.
It was Al Hilal, however, who struck first in a fast-paced first half with Salem Al-Dawsari scoring from close in the 13th minute to give his side a 5-1 advantage.
The tables were to be turned shortly afterwards though as Akram Afif equalized from the penalty spot in the 17th minute after he was brought down.
Two minutes later Nam produced a fine burst of speed from the center of the field and advanced into the penalty area before passing the ball to Afif.
The star Qatar forward relayed the ball back to Hassan Al-Haydos, who in turn set up Nam with a deft flick and the Korean blasted home from close.
Al Sadd were 3-1 up in the very next minute with Al-Haydos the scorer this time after Yasser Al-Shahrani in the Al Hilal defense failed to tackle a long ball leaving the goalkeeper exposed with pressure from Nam and his compatriot Jang Hyun-soo
The stunned crowd however heaved a collective sigh of relief in the 25th minute when the prolific Batefimbi Gomis latched on to a diagonal pass from Sebastian Giovinco and netted with a half-volley as Al Hilal stretched their aggregate to 6-4.
The second half lacked the urgency of the first period, but Boualem Khoukhi had the Saudis rattled by heading in an Abdulaziz Ansari pass with the match three minutes into stoppage time.
And when Nam’s late free-kick was saved by Al Hilal goalkeeper Al-Maiouf, Al Hilal’s spot in the final was confirmed.
They face the winners of the semifinal between Guangzhou Evergrande and Urawa Red Diamonds, with the first leg of the final taking place in Riyadh on November 9.
Al Hilal overcome Xavi’s Al Sadd to reach AFC final
Al Hilal overcome Xavi’s Al Sadd to reach AFC final
- Athough Xavi’s Al Sadd scored three goals inside four minutes during a frenetic phase of the game in the first half, they fell short to lose 6-5
- Razvan Lucescu’s men advanced to their third continental final inside six years, having finished runners up in 2014 and 2017
FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign welcomes Palestinian student
- Ghada Ashour, 24, who grew up in Gaza, becomes fifth scholar selected for FIA’s flagship scholarship initiative
DUBAI: The FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign has welcomed Ghada Ashour, a 24-year-old student from Palestine, to its flagship scholarship program, created to empower the next generation of researchers in the fight against online abuse in sport.
Ashour grew up in Gaza where she had been studying remotely until gaining a place on the UAOA scholarship, which brought her to Dublin City University, Ireland.
Becoming the fifth scholar to join the program, she was selected based on her interests in social media, and passion for advancing insights in this area for the benefit of sportspeople.
Launched in 2023, the program offers talented students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds the chance to engage in research on the impact, prevalence, and prevention of online abuse in sport.
Funded by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA scholars have been selected to undertake research dedicated to positive social change.
Ashour’s thesis, which will be printed in English and Arabic, will focus specifically on the relationship between athlete activism and online abuse.
Athletes increasingly speak out on war, conflict, and social and environmental issues. Although the attention such athletes bring can be positive, research indicates it can lead to significant abuse.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, founder of the UAOA campaign, said: “The FIA is committed to extending opportunities across the world while inspiring and developing the next generation.
“Education lies at the core of this mission, and I am pleased to welcome Ghada as the latest student in the UAOA Scholarship Programme.
“Her experience and research will help broaden the international perspective on this critical issue. This pioneering research program will help ensure we safeguard the future of sport for generations to come.”
Ashour said she was “truly grateful” to the FIA leader: “It is a dream come true to study the subject I am passionate about at a leading institution in this field.
“I am so excited to advance the field of research in online abuse in sport and to contribute to this prevalent topic which is impacting so many people’s lives on a daily basis.”
The UAOA’s 2025 Barometer Report found that 75 percent of sports federations report continued threats against competitors and their families, and that 90 percent believe abuse could force athletes to leave their sport.
Dublin City University is a leading academic institution in the study of online abuse.
Each scholar is fully funded and mentored by leading experts in the field. They are able to attend UAOA events, where they can share their findings with a global audience of policymakers, sports federations, and digital platforms.
The inaugural cohort of four UAOA scholars included participants from Italy, South Africa, the UK, and Mexico.
