4/17/2024-|Last update: 4/17/202409:41 PM (Mecca time)
Moroccan international striker Sofiane Rahimi led his Emirati team Al Ain to stop the historic series of consecutive victories (34) for its guest, Al Hilal Saudi Arabia, when it defeated it 4-2 on Wednesday in Al Ain in the first leg of the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.
Rahimi scored a “hat-trick” in the 6th, 26th and 38th minutes from two penalty kicks, and Paraguayan Alejandro Romero (Kaku) fourth (57th from a penalty kick) added Al Ain’s goals, and Brazilian Malcolm (48th) and Salem Al Dosari (78th) added Al Hilal’s goals.
The two teams will meet in the second leg of the semi-final in Riyadh on April 23.
Al Ain entered the match that was scheduled – Tuesday – before it was postponed for 24 hours due to the storm that struck the Emirates, and it did not know the taste of victory in the last 4 matches in all competitions (two defeats and two draws), unlike Al Hilal, which achieved a series of victories that is the longest in the history of football. Football reached its 34th consecutive win.
But the 2003 champion surprised the record holder with titles in the AFC Champions League (4 times) and included him in the list of his victims from Saudi clubs in the current edition, after he defeated Al-Fayhaa in the first leg 4-1 and back 3-2 in the group stage, and surpassed Al-Nassr in the quarter-finals 1- Zero in the first leg and then back on penalties 3-1 after losing in regular and extra time 3-4.
Al Ain also inflicted the first loss on Al Hilal in the current edition after a series of 9 consecutive victories and a draw.
Rahimi topped the scorers’ rankings with 11 goals, compared to 8 goals for Al Hilal’s Serbian striker Alexander Mitrovic, who was absent due to injury, and the Brazilian Crisan De Cruz (Shandong Taishan, China).
Al Hilal reduced the gap at the beginning of the second half through Malcolm Oliveira, taking advantage of Sergei Milinkovic-Savic’s pass (48). Then Salem Al Dosari scored the second goal for Al Hilal after Savic’s shot bounced back to him, which was blocked by Al Ain goalkeeper Khaled Issa, so he set it up for himself from close range and continued it into the goal (78). ).
Goals of the Al Ain and Al Hilal match
Sufyan Rahimi opens the scoring for Al Ain against Al Hilal#AFC_Champions_League #Al-Ain_Hilal pic.twitter.com/HX6E9m0Ug8
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 17, 2024
Sufyan Rahimi adds the second goal for Al Ain against Al Hilal #AFC_Champions_League #Al-Ain_Hilal pic.twitter.com/G6ImP6kcw2
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 17, 2024
Sufyan Rahimi’s hat-trick against Al Hilal #AFC_Champions_League #Al-Ain_Hilal pic.twitter.com/0DsfVmVAdT
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 17, 2024
Malcolm scores the first goal for Al Hilal against Al Ain#AFC_Champions_League #Al-Ain_Hilal pic.twitter.com/DrCTVGqmr8
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 17, 2024
The goal
Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates leads 4-1 over Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia from a penalty kick in the 56th minute executed by Kaku. #Al-Ain_Hilal || #AFC_Champions_League || #Cass_channels pic.twitter.com/O05Kn1JIsD– Al Kass Channels (@AlkassTVSports) April 17, 2024
The goal
Al Hilal Saudi narrows the gap to 2-4 against Al Ain of the Emirates in the 78th minute via Salem Al Dosari. #Al-Ain_Hilal || #AFC_Champions_League || #Cass_channels pic.twitter.com/uaQq96uxAP– Al Kass Channels (@AlkassTVSports) April 17, 2024
