KSAsportz Report
RIYADH — Al Hilal SFC has cemented its dominance in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 with a decisive 3-1 victory over Al Sadd SC on Tuesday, further extending their winning streak to three games in Group B.
The match witnessed goals from Yusuf Akcicek, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, underscoring the strength of Simone Inzaghi’s squad. With this latest win, Al Hilal has maintained an impressive overall record of 9 goals scored and only 1 conceded in the tournament so far. Conversely, Al Sadd continues to struggle, marking their third consecutive match without a win after two initial draws.
Missing key players Joao Cancelo and captain Salem Al Dawsari, Al Hilal made five strategic changes from the lineup that recently dominated Al Ettifaq with a 5-0 win in the Saudi Pro League. Al Sadd also rotated their squad, making four adjustments from their previous fixture against Sharjah FC.
In a closely contested opening, Al Hilal surged ahead when Koulibaly assisted Akcicek for the first goal in the 25th minute following a set-piece scramble. Just fifteen minutes later, Ruben Neves’s corner found Koulibaly, who netted with a powerful header, doubling the lead and boosting Al Hilal’s goal-scoring tally to 9 across three matches.
Al Sadd’s Roberto Firmino managed to equalize midway through the second half, converting a well-placed pass from Pedro Miguel. However, Milinkovic-Savic secured victory for Al Hilal with a stunning free-kick in the 82nd minute, restoring their two-goal advantage.
Looking ahead, Al Hilal is set to face Al Gharafa SC on November 3, while Al Sadd will take on Al Ahli Saudi FC a day later, as both teams aim to shift the momentum in their favor.