KSAsportz report
RIYADH — In a dazzling display of football, Al Hilal has secured their place in the Round of 16 in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26, crushing Iraq’s Al Shorta 4-0 at Kingdom Arena on Tuesday. This decisive victory marks their fifth consecutive win, reinforcing their robust position in the West Zone League Stage with a total of 15 points, effectively ensuring them a top-eight finish.
The win not only highlights Al Hilal’s dominance but also puts Al Shorta on the brink of elimination, as they find themselves at the bottom of the group with only a single point from four matches.
Al Shorta entered the match desperate for a victory after suffering three straight defeats. Meanwhile, Al Hilal’s coach Simone Inzaghi opted to give 21-year-old goalkeeper Mathieu Patouillet his debut, resting first-team stars Yassine Bounou, Salem Al Dawsari, Darwin Nunez, and Ruben Neves on the bench.
Despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Al Hilal faced an early scare when Al Shorta’s Ahmed Farhan fired wide from outside the area. However, Al Hilal soon regained control and came close to scoring in the 24th minute, with Marcos Leonardo’s effort brilliantly saved by Hasan Ahmed, thanks to an assist from Malcom.
The pivotal moment arrived in first-half stoppage time when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic threaded a pass to Malcom, whose initial shot was blocked. The Brazilian quickly recovered to loft the ball, allowing Leonardo to power a header into the net, giving Al Hilal a 1-0 lead going into the break.
Three minutes into the second half, Milinkovic-Savic set up Malcom again, but Mehdi Ashabi thwarted the opportunity with a timely challenge. Al Hilal continued to apply pressure, with Kaio Cesar coming close twice, first having his effort blocked and then heading narrowly wide.
The situation for Al Shorta deteriorated further when Ahmed Yahia received his second yellow card in the 61st minute, leaving the team with 10 men. Al Hilal wasted no time capitalizing on the advantage, as Milinkovic-Savic rose to meet Joao Cancelo’s free-kick, extending their lead to 2-0.
Leonardo added his second goal of the night in the 72nd minute, converting a cross from Nasser Al Dawsari with another precise header, bringing the score to 3-0. Al Hilal’s dominance was evident as they continued to press for more.
In the closing minutes, Ahmed denied Mohammed Al Qahtani with a fingertip save, but Cancelo put the icing on the cake in stoppage time, sealing the emphatic victory with a composed finish.