AL-AIN, UAE: Neymar finally returned to action after a year out through injury, but it was Salem Al-Dawsari who grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick as Al-Hilal won 5-4 at Al-Ain in a thrilling AFC Champions League elite clash.
The victory, against the tournament’s holders, meant that the Saudi Arabians have taken a big step toward the knockout stage, while they also enjoyed a modicum of revenge against the team from the UAE.
Three goals in the first half put the visitors from Riyadh ahead at the break to help maintain a perfect record of three wins from three in their group which, after a semifinal loss to the UAE powerhouse in last season’s edition, provided welcome news.
Al-Ain, coached by Hernan Crespo, thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute and Al-Hilal goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Rubaie was relieved when it was ruled out for offside. The replacement for the injured Yassine Bounou misjudged a long ball out of defense and breathed a sigh of relief that the flag went up after Soufiane Rahimi — the Moroccan who wreaked havoc in the meeting between the two teams in their last meeting — put the ball in the net.
The visitors took the lead after 26 minutes thanks to a well-taken strike from Renan Lodi. The Brazilian left-back, who has enjoyed a fine start to the season, picked up possession on the corner of the area and sent a low shot into the corner.
Six minutes before the break, however, Rahimi, the tournament’s top scorer from last season, equalized for the defending champions. The Saudi Arabian visitors failed to clear a corner and the forward poked home a low cross from Brazilian midfielder Erik.
Al-Hilal then scored twice in added time. First, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed home a Joao Cancelo cross from the right and then, on the counter-attack, Nasser Al-Dawsari picked up the ball well inside his own half and slipped a low pass through to his namesake, who had broken free of the backline to get to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper to sweep home, first time, from the right corner of the area.
Mateo Sanabria fired home from the left side of the area after 63 minutes to make it 3-2 and get the Al-Ain fans on their feet.
But if there were nerves from the boys in blue then they were not apparent as they restored their two-goal advantage almost immediately. Malcom backheeled to Milinkovic-Savic on the right and the Serbian’s cross was swept home high into the net by Al-Dawsari for his second and Al-Hilal’s fourth.
Four-time Asian champions Al-Hilal are not the kind of team to throw away a two-goal lead with 25 minutes remaining, but Al-Ain scored again after 67 minutes. Rahimi cut inside the area from the left and his shot beat the goalkeeper at the near post to make it 4-3.
But with 15 minutes remaining, Al-Dawsari completed a fine hat-trick, shooting home powerfully from just outside the area to score a goal worthy of winning any game.
Then it was time for Neymar to come off the bench, but the impact of the superstar, injured a year earlier in action for Brazil, was limited as Al-Hilal defender Ali Al-Bulaihi was red-carded for handball on the edge of the area 10 minutes from time. From the resulting free-kick, Al-Rubaie saved well from Rahimi.
Neymar almost capped his return with a goal but his low shot from the left corner of the area just went past the opposite post. His miss could have been costly as Al-Ain scored their fourth in the 96th minute, Rahimi completing his own hat-trick from the penalty spot, but it was a little too late as Al-Hilal won a classic.
The top eight from the group of 12 progress to the second round of 16 and, on this showing, Al-Hilal are almost there.
