Al-Ahli eliminate Al-Duhail while Al-Sadd knock Al-Hilal out of the AFC Champions League Elite

The round of 16 in the AFC Champions League Elite delivered thrilling and dramatic encounters, as Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli secured a place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Qatar’s Al-Duhail, while compatriots Al-Hilal were knocked out in dramatic fashion after losing to Qatari champions Al-Sadd 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw.

At Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Al-Ahli faced a tough and tightly contested match against Al-Duhail, marked by defensive caution and missed opportunities—particularly from the Saudi side, who came closest to opening the scoring on several occasions.

As the match went into extra time, the intensity increased significantly. English striker Ivan Toney missed a golden opportunity to give his team the lead after failing to convert a penalty in the closing moments of the first extra-time period, seemingly sending the match towards a penalty shootout. However, Algerian star Riyad Mahrez had other ideas, scoring a decisive goal in the 117th minute from a perfectly executed free-kick to send Al-Ahli through to the quarter-finals.

This victory allows Al-Ahli to continue their continental title defense as they prepare to face Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim in the next round, in a highly anticipated clash set to take place in Jeddah under the centralized tournament format adopted at this stage due to exceptional security conditions in the region.

Al-Sadd avenge Al-Duhail

In another equally dramatic encounter, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium hosted a heavyweight clash between Al-Hilal and Al-Sadd, which turned into one of the most chaotic and entertaining matches of the tournament. The two sides exchanged the lead three times, with Al-Hilal scoring on each occasion only for Al-Sadd to respond quickly with an equalizer.

Al-Hilal opened the scoring through Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić, but Brazilian Claudinho quickly brought Al-Sadd back into the game. In the second half, Al-Hilal regained the lead through Salem Al-Dawsari, only for Spanish forward Rafa Mujica to equalize again for the Qatari side. The drama continued as Al-Hilal went ahead for a third time through Brazilian Marcos Leonardo, before Al-Sadd equalized once more via Brazilian Roberto Firmino, with the match ending 3-3 in regular time.

With the deadlock persisting through extra time, the tie was decided by penalties, where Al-Sadd prevailed 4-2 after Al-Hilal missed multiple attempts, including two efforts that struck the crossbar, resulting in the Saudi side’s elimination despite leading on several occasions during the match.

With this victory, Al-Sadd advance to face Japan’s Vissel Kobe in the quarter-finals, while Al-Hilal’s exit comes as a major shock to their fans, especially given their strong performances in the group stage and their status as one of the tournament favorites.

Despite the challenging circumstances in the Middle East, the continental competition continues to deliver excitement, with Jeddah once again hosting matches under a centralized format, as attention now turns to the teams that will progress to the semi-finals in an open race for the Asian title.