Pakhtakor Stuns Al Hilal While Al Ahli Bounces Back Against Al Rayyan
Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan pulled off a major surprise by defeating Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal 1-0 in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Round of 16 Elite tournament. The match took place in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.
Meanwhile, fellow Saudi club Al Ahli Jeddah took a big step toward the quarterfinals with a convincing 3-1 away victory over Al Rayyan of Qatar.
Al Hilal’s defeat is concerning for their fans, as the team has been struggling with a noticeable dip in form in recent weeks.
The Riyadh-based side must bounce back quickly before hosting the second leg next Tuesday if they want to keep their hopes alive for a fifth continental title.
The “Blue Wave” entered the match on the back of a 2-3 league loss to Al Ahli, which left them six points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al Ittihad. That defeat followed another heavy 1-4 loss to Al Ittihad on February 22.
Both teams were missing key players—Pakhtakor’s Sardor Sabirkhojaev was suspended, while Al Hilal played without their star Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović due to injury.
The hosts secured their victory in the 29th minute when Colombian Bryan Riascos found space on the right flank and delivered a precise cross to Brazilian Flamarion, who slotted it past Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
In the other match, Al Ahli nearly secured their quarterfinal spot with a 3-1 away win against Al Rayyan.
The “Green Eagles” made their path to the last eight much easier before welcoming Al Rayyan for the return leg in Jeddah on March 11. Their goals came from Brazilian Anderson Galeno (30’), Algerian Riyad Mahrez (34’), and Saudi forward Firas Al-Buraikan (90+5’), while Brazilian Roger Guedes (72’) netted the only goal for the hosts.
Mahrez commented after the match: “We played a great game against an opponent who surprised us with a different approach than we expected. But we controlled the match the way we wanted and scored two quick goals.” He added, “We relaxed a bit in the second half, which allowed them to come back, but we handled the final moments well and sealed the victory with a third goal.”
Al Rayyan had an early penalty claim when Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessié appeared to handle the ball inside the box, but the referee waved play on (15’). Al Ahli then took the lead following a brilliant individual effort from Brazilian Roberto Firmino, who delivered a pinpoint cross that fellow countryman Galeno headed into the net (30’).
Before Al Rayyan could regroup, Al Ahli doubled their lead after a critical error from Brazilian goalkeeper Victor, who miscontrolled a back pass. The referee awarded a direct free-kick inside the box, and Mahrez capitalized with a thunderous shot into the top of the net (34’).
Al Rayyan improved significantly in the second half and pulled one back with a stunning long-range strike from Guedes (72’).
VAR denied Al Ahli a third goal when Spanish midfielder Gabri Veiga’s powerful shot was ruled out for offside after English striker Ivan Toney was deemed to have interfered with the goalkeeper (82’).
As Al Rayyan pushed for an equalizer, Al Ahli sealed the win in stoppage time with a swift counterattack. Mahrez played in Toney, who squared the ball for Al-Buraikan to slot home (90+5’). The hosts’ frustration boiled over, leading to a straight red card for Paraguayan substitute Adam Bareiro after a reckless challenge on Fahad Al-Rashidi just before the final whistle (90+9’).
