Saudi Al-Hilal Surge into Asian Champions League Semis by Thrashing Gwangju
Al-Hilal powered into the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Friday as Jorge Jesus's Saudi Pro League side demolished South Korea's Gwangju 7-0 to move closer to a record-extending fifth continental title.
Goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Leonardo and Salem Al-Dawsari inside the first 33 minutes sent the four-times champions on their way, with Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom, Nasser Al-Dawsari and Abdullah Al-Hamddan on target after the interval.
"The players who played today were under a lot of pressure but they played at their usual level," said Jesus. "Without their commitment we wouldn't achieve what we achieved today. We are on the right path."
The result at a raucous King Abdullah Sports City Stadium means Al-Hilal will take on the winners of Saturday's quarter-final between fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli and Thailand's Buriram United.
Al-Hilal, continental champions in 1991, 2000, 2019 and 2021 and runners-up on five other occasions, were several levels above the K-League side, who are appearing in the competition for the first time.
Milinkovic-Savic gave the Saudi side the perfect start in the sixth minute, the midfielder peeling away from his marker to meet Salem Al-Dawsari's corner with a glancing header that beat Kim Kyeong-in for pace from the edge of the six-yard box.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou denied the Koreans the opportunity to strike back almost immediately when he blocked Jasir Asani's attempt after the Albanian winger had been played in behind the Al-Hilal defense.
Gwangju were to rue that miss in the 25th minute when Leonardo doubled Al-Hilal's lead, the Brazilian beating Kim low and at his near post when he met Malcom's cutback with a first-time strike.
Eight minutes later Salem Al-Dawsari effectively killed the game after racing on to Leonardo's ball from deep inside the Al-Hilal half, outpacing the Gwangju defense before calmly sliding his shot to Kim's right.
Mitrovic hit the fourth goal 10 minutes into the second half, making no mistake as he slotted in Milinkovic-Savic's bobbling cross from the right with a first-time finish.
Malcom beat Kim with 11 minutes remaining and substitute Nasser Al-Dawsari's deflected strike gave Al-Hilal their sixth goal five minutes later. Al-Hamddan's unstoppable right-foot shot in the 88th minute completed Gwangju's humiliation.
The latter stages of the revamped Asian Champions League Elite are being played on a centralized basis in Jeddah, with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr due to face Yokohama F Marinos on Saturday.
Kawasaki Frontale from Japan take on Qatar's Al-Sadd on Sunday, with the semi-finals to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. The final will be played on May 3.
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