Al-Hilal surge into Asian Champions League semis by thrashing Gwangju
By PARAS AHMED KHAN
JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia): Al-Hilal powered into the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite with a 7-0 demolition of South Korean side Gwangju in Jeddah.
The Saudi Pro League Champions, who are targeting a record-extending fifth title in Asia’s premier club competition, were 3-0 up by half-time on Friday and never looked back. The match was also enjoyed by a capacity cheering crowd with both teams excelled their best but Al-Hilal most dominated the proceeding and did not allow their rivals to strike back at any of the match proceedings.
Jorge Jesus’ hosts hit the front through Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s glancing header in the sixth minute, then Yassine Bounou denied Jasir Asani an immediate equaliser.
And Al-Hilal made the visitors rue that missed opportunity as Marcos Leonardo made it 2-0 with a first-time finish in the 25th minute, while Salem Al-Dawsari slotted home a third eight minutes later.
Aleksandar Mitrovic got in on the act by turning in a Milinkovic-Savic cross 10 minutes into the second half, though Al-Hilal had to wait until the 79th minute to add a fifth through Malcolm.
Substitute Nasser Al-Dawsari added a deflected sixth soon afterwards, and Abdullah Al-Hamddan blasted home to complete the scoring two minutes from time.
Al-Hilal will face the winners of Saturday’s quarter-final between fellow Saudi side Al-Ahli and Thailand’s Buriram United in the last four, with the latter stages of the competition being played entirely in Jeddah.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr face Yokohama F. Marinos in another quarter-final, while Kawasaki Frontale take on Qatar’s Al-Sadd.
The gigantic budgets available to Saudi Arabia’s top teams make them favourites in the AFC Champions League Elite, and the gulf in quality on display on Friday was stark.
Al-Hilal fired off 20 shots to Gwangju’s four, creating a total of 3.1 expected goals (xG) to the visitors’ 0.38.
They also had 29 touches in the penalty area to Gwangju’s 12, with Malcolm and Mitrovic each matching the visitors’ shot tally for the game on their own.
Al-Hilal made a flying start with Milinkovic-Savic scoring their earliest goal in this season’s AFC Champions League Elite, after five minutes and 17 seconds.
And when Salem Al-Dawsari struck the third, it was game over. His nine goals in the AFC Champions League Elite this season are more than any other player.
Gwangju FC have bowed out of the top Asian club football tournament following a big loss to a heavily favored Saudi Arabian foe.
Gwangju FC barely put up a fight in their 7-0 loss to Al Hilal in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday.
Al Hilal, one of the most decorated clubs in football going for their fifth AFC title, had seven different players find the back of the net.
They opened the scoring just six minutes into the match, when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed home a cross taken by Salem Al Dawsari.
Gwangju had a chance to draw even three minutes later when Jasir Asani took a left-footed attempt from the center of the box, but Al Hilal keeper Yassine Bounou was quick to block the low shot.
Gwangju’s own custodian Kim Kyeong-min tried to keep his side in the game with saves on Al Dawsari, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic in succession.
However, Al Hilal doubled their lead in the 25th minute as Malcom ran down the right flank and found Marcos Leonardo for the 2-0 goal.
Al Hilal went up 3-0 in the 33rd minute with Al Dawsari’s shot from the center of the area. Gwangju kept pushing for a goal after the restart, but Al Hilal moved further ahead in the 55th minute with Mitrovic’s marker.
Malcom, Nasser Al Dawsari and Abdullah Al Hamddan then finished off the rout with goals in the late minutes. Al Hilal outshot Gwangju 11-2, and shot attempts were in favor of Al Hilal by 20-4.
Lee, who has been credited with getting the most out of his underdog side, urged his players to keep their heads high after the defeat.
“I hope my players will learn from today’s match and keep trying even harder going forward,” Lee said, according to a transcript of the press conference provided by the Korea Professional Football League. “If they keep putting in the work and have confidence in their abilities, then they should be able to get back on their feet. I’d like to tell them not to get discouraged by this result.”
Lee said he himself feels “extra motivated” after the big loss and added, “I’d like to take down one of these big clubs someday.
“In football, things don’t often go according to your plans,” the coach said. “Whether we lose by 7-0 or 10-0, as long as players have something to learn from that, it’s good enough for me. I am just happy that we didn’t have any injuries.”
Edited by Miss Sumayya, reporter-sub-editor, Sports Lines HD
