Latest news with #Pakhtakor
Arab Times
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli secure quarter-final spots in AFC Champions League
RIYADH, March 12: Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal booked its place in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals with a commanding 4-0 victory over Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor in the second leg of the Round of 16 at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Riyadh. Hamad Al-Yami opened the scoring in the 31st minute, followed by a goal from Brazilian Malcom Oliveira in the 41st minute. Salem Al-Dawsari converted a penalty in the 51st minute, while Nasser Al-Dawsari sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal. Despite Pakhtakor's 1-0 first-leg win last Tuesday, Al-Hilal advanced with an aggregate victory. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli also progressed to the quarter-finals after defeating Qatar's Al-Rayyan 2-0 in the second leg at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. Algerian star Riyad Mahrez netted both goals in the 77th and 83rd minutes. Al-Ahli had already secured a strong position with a 3-1 victory in the first leg in Doha, ensuring its advancement with a 5-1 aggregate win.
Arab News
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Al-Hilal roar back to storm into Asian Champions League Elite last eight
RIYADH: Al-Hilal thrashed Pakhtakor 4-0 in the second leg of the second round of the Asian Champions League Elite on Tuesday to progress to the quarterfinal stage. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The Riyadh giants lost the first leg in Uzbekistan 1-0 a week earlier and there were plenty of nerves around the Saudi capital, but in the end it was a convincing win for the four-time champions who are now on course for a record fifth continental title. It took Al-Hilal until the half hour, however, to take the lead on the night and get back on level terms in the tie. Hamad Al-Yami scored the opening goal on the half hour, with a flying header at the far post after a perfect cross from Mohamed Kanno. The pressure continued and, then, three minutes before the break, Brazilian attacker Malcom put Al-Hilal ahead in the tie for the first time, running on to a fine through ball from deep to fire home from inside the area. 'We did what we needed to do in the first half,' said Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus. 'We knew that it would not be easy after the first leg but we had a good start and then moved on from there.' Six minutes after the break and Salem Al-Dawsari extended the lead for Al-Hilal, stroking home from the penalty spot. From that point, Al-Hilal were on course for the last eight but the tie was as good as over in injury time Nasser Al-Dawsari made it 4-0 on the night. Al-Ahli eased into the last eight, beating Al-Rayyan of Qatar 5-1 on aggregate. The Jeddah giants won the first leg 3-1 and, thanks to a second half brace from Riyad Mahrez, added two more to make it a convincing victory. It means that Saudi Arabia have three teams in the last eight as Al-Nassr went past Esteghlal of Iran on Monday.
Saudi Gazette
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Al Hilal crushes Pakhtakor to storm into AFC Champions League quarter-finals
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Al Hilal delivered a dominant display to book their place in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 quarter-finals, thrashing Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor 4-0 at Kingdom Arena on Tuesday. The four-time Asian champions overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit in emphatic fashion, keeping their quest for a record-extending fifth continental title firmly on track. Pakhtakor stuck with the lineup that earned them victory in the first leg, while Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus made key adjustments, including pairing Mohamed Kanno with Rúben Neves in midfield and giving Hamad Al-Yami a starting role in defense. Al Hilal signaled their attacking intent from the start, with Kanno, Neves, and Malcom piling the pressure on Pakhtakor goalkeeper Jhonatan. Despite their early dominance, the hosts had to wait until the 31st minute to break the deadlock. Salem Al-Dawsari recovered possession high up the pitch and found Kanno, who delivered a perfect cross for Al-Yami to head home with a diving Saudi Pro League leaders almost doubled their lead four minutes later, but Moteb Al-Harbi's header was brilliantly saved by Jhonatan. However, Al Hilal would not be denied, and their second goal arrived in the 42nd minute following a brilliant sequence of surged past Pakhtakor's midfield before sliding a precise through ball to Malcom, who coolly slotted home into the bottom right corner to send the home crowd into a nearly pulled one back just before halftime when Khojiakbar Alijonov set up Flamarion, but Yassine Bounou produced an acrobatic save to maintain Al Hilal's two-goal Hilal resumed their attacking onslaught in the second half, and in the 51st minute, Al-Dawsari won and converted a penalty, sending Jhonatan the wrong way to make it hosts continued to press, with Kaio César teeing up Al-Dawsari for a shot in the 70th minute, but Jhonatan denied him. Marcos Leonardo pounced on the rebound, only for his close-range finish to be ruled final blow came in stoppage time, as Nasser Al-Dawsari latched onto an Abdullah Al-Hamdan assist to wrap up a resounding 4-0 victory, sealing Al Hilal's place in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals.
Reuters
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Al-Hilal overturn deficit to reach Asian Champions League quarter-finals
March 11 (Reuters) - Al-Hilal thumped Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor 4-0 on Tuesday to overturn a first-leg deficit and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite with the Saudi side joined by compatriots Al-Ahli in the next phase of the competition. Riyad Mahrez scored twice late in the game to complete Al-Ahli's victory over Qatar's Al-Rayyan, the former Manchester City winger netting in the 77th and 83rd minutes to earn a 2-0 win in Jeddah and a 5-1 victory overall. Al-Hilal bounced back from a 1-0 loss in the first leg in Tashkent last week to secure a 4-1 aggregate success over Pedro Moreira's Pakhtakor side with a commanding performance at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The hosts pulled level on aggregate in the 31st minute through Hamad Al Yami's diving header after Salem Al-Dawsari's backheel released Mohamed Kanno behind the defence and his cross to the far post was directed home. Eleven minutes later the Saudis doubled their tally as Kanno charged through Pakhtakor's midfield from deep inside his own half to deliver a defence-splitting pass from which Malcom slid his shot beyond goalkeeper Jhonatan. Yassine Bounou denied Pakhtakor striker Flamarion with a reflex save early in the second half and that was to prove decisive as Al-Dawsari struck from the penalty spot in the 51st minute, scoring after being upended by Khodjiakbar Alijonov. Nasser Al-Dawsari rolled the ball in from close range in the 92nd minute to complete the rout. Victory takes Al-Hilal into Monday's draw for the final stages of the competition, which will be played in a centralised format in Jeddah from April 25 until May 3. "We just wanted to win so bad, for the supporters, for everybody, for us," said Al-Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly. "We knew that the first game was difficult in difficult conditions but today we showed our talent, our team on the pitch. We wanted to win so bad and we showed it." Al-Ahli went into their second leg against Al-Rayyan with a two-goal cushion and, despite dominating throughout the first half, it was not until 13 minutes from time that Matthias Jaissle's side added to their lead. Mahrez showed his balance and poise to control Galeno's lofted ball over the Al-Rayyan defence before turning and lifting his shot past goalkeeper Paulo Victor. The Algerian doubled his side's lead six minutes later with an emphatic finish, stroking home following a lay-off in the penalty area by Gabri Veiga. The results mean all three Saudi Arabian clubs involved in the competition have qualified for the quarter-finals after Al-Nassr booked their place on Monday alongside Qatar's Al-Sadd. Japan's Yokohama F Marinos and Buriram United from Thailand have also qualified following respective wins over Shanghai Port and Johor Darul Ta'zim on Tuesday. Kawasaki Frontale take on Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday when Vissel Kobe play Gwangju FC to determine the remaining qualifiers for the next round.
The Independent
10-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Aleksandar Mitrovic misses Al-Hilal training due to irregular heartbeat
Sport Football Al-Hilal's next game is on Tuesday when they play Pakhtakor in their AFC Champions League last-16 second leg.
