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Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal made the most of Al Ahli\u2019s stumble to reclaim the top spot in the unified West Zone group with a commanding 3-0 victory over Qatar\u2019s Al Gharafa on Tuesday in the sixth round of the AFC Champions League elite stage. Meanwhile, the defending champions, UAE\u2019s club Al Ain, saw their hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 diminish after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Pakhtakor from Uzbekistan.<\/p>
In Riyadh, after dropping points in the previous round with a 1-1 draw against Qatar\u2019s Al Sadd, Al Hilal\u2014already assured of qualification to the knockout stage\u2014bounced back to reclaim first place on goal difference. Their resurgence came after Al Ahli lost their position on the top spot following a 2-2 draw with Iranian side Esteklal, allowing Al Hilal to overtake them in the standings.<\/p>
In contrast, Al Gharafa\u2019s struggles continued as they suffered their second consecutive defeat. With only one win in their last four games, they remain in ninth place with four points, just one behind the crucial eighth spot that guarantees a place in the next round.<\/p>
Al Gharafa still has two matches left: one against Pakhtakor, currently in tenth place with three points, and the other against Saudi side Al Ahli. For Al Hilal, the road ahead includes matches against Persepolis (sixth, 6 points) and Al Wasl (fifth, 11 points).<\/p>
To date, four spots in the knockout stage are secured, with Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Sadd (Qatar) set to progress.<\/p>
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first half, following Marcus Leonardo\u2019s 18th-minute strike from a pass by Yasser Al Shahrani, Al Hilal kept up the pressure. The game was setteled in the final eight minutes, thanks to two key substitutes, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovi\u0107-Savi\u0107.<\/p>
Mitrovi\u0107's fifth goal in the tournament this season came from a shot outside the box after a pass from Salem Al-Dawsari (82'), while Milinkovi\u0107-Savi\u0107's goal came from a header after receiving the ball from Brazilian Malcom following a corner kick (85').<\/p>
Al Ain\u2019s Hopes of Retaining Their Title Take a Hit<\/p>
In Tashkent, Al Ain\u2019s hopes of defending their title and advancing to the Round of 16 faded further as they failed to secure a victory in their sixth match, settling for a 1-1 draw with hosts Pakhtakor.<\/p>
Moroccan forward Sofiane Rahimi (49') scored for Al Ain, while Otabek Jurakuziev (6') netted for Pakhtakor. <\/p>
Enduring their worst-ever campaign in the AFC Champions League, Al Ain now sit in 11th place with just 2 points, while Pakhtakor holds 10th place with 4 points.<\/p>
The defending champions struggled with the challenging pitch conditions at Pakhtakor Central Stadium, which hampered their movement. Their situation worsened when midfielder Yahya Nader was sent off after a VAR review for a foul on Doniyor Abdugafurov (55'), forcing them to play the remainder of the match with ten men.<\/p>
Pakhtakor took an early lead when Al Ain goalkeeper Khaled Issa saved an initial shot, only for the rebound to fall to Jurakuziev, who headed it into the net (6'). Just before halftime, Jurakuziev nearly doubled the advantage, but Issa made a superb save (45+6').<\/p>
Al Ain found their equalizer in the second half through a swift counterattack. Paraguayan substitute Mat\u00edas Segovia set up Rahimi, who slotted a low shot past goalkeeper Vladimir Nazarov (49'), tying him with club legends Omar Abdulrahman and Asamoah Gyan at 18 goals in the competition.<\/p>
Al Ain suffered a major setback when Yahya Nader was sent off after a VAR review due to his rough challenge on Doniyor Abdumanopov (55').<\/p>
Despite being a man down, Al Ain fought hard to keep Pakhtakor at bay. Khaled Issa denied Diyor Khamlatov\u2019s effort (69'), and Muhammad Rasul Abdumajidov\u2019s header struck the crossbar (88'), ensuring the match ended in a hard-fought draw.<\/p>
The top eight teams from the unified West Asia group, out of the 12, will qualify for the Round of 16. <\/p>
As it stands, Al Ain faces two remaining matches: one against Qatari side Al Rayyan (7th place, 5 points) and one against Iraqi club Al Sharjah (12th, 2 points). <\/p>
Pakhtakor, on the other hand, still has to face Al Gharafa and Al Sadd.<\/p>
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