Al-Hilal Bounce Back After First-Half Setback
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal kicked off their AFC Champions League Elite group stage campaign with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Qatar’s Al-Duhail on Tuesday night in Riyadh. Goals from Darwin Núñez and Theo Hernandez in the second half turned the tide in favor of the hosts after going behind early in the match.
The clash came to life late in the first half when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic tested Al-Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria with a powerful shot from outside the area. Zakaria responded with a sharp save, tipping the ball around the post. But from the resulting corner, Al-Duhail launched a blistering counterattack.
Senegalese defender Youssouf Sabaly intercepted the ball and lofted a long pass over Al-Hilal’s high backline. Adil Boulbina latched onto it, beat keeper Yassine Bounou to the ball, and calmly slotted it into the net — giving the visitors a surprise lead.
Al-Hilal nearly found an equalizer just before halftime when Yusuf Akcicek fired a low shot into the bottom corner. However, VAR disallowed the goal, spotting a handball by Marcos Leonardo in the build-up — keeping Al-Duhail in front at the break.
Núñez and Hernandez Lead the Fightback
The second half saw Al-Hilal come out with renewed urgency. Although they struggled to break through initially, the breakthrough came just before the hour mark. A well-orchestrated move involving Milinkovic-Savic and Hamad Al-Yami ended with substitute Darwin Núñez calmly finishing from close range to level the score.
With momentum on their side, Al-Hilal pressed forward, despite leaving spaces at the back. Their persistence paid off when Theo Hernandez unleashed a shot from outside the box that took a decisive deflection, wrong-footing the goalkeeper and securing a deserved lead for the home side.
The win gives Al-Hilal a strong start in the tournament as they aim to add a fifth continental title to their illustrious history.
