DAMMAM — Although fans hoped Tuesday’s AFC Champions League clash between Al-Hilal and Al-Sadd would replicate the excitement of their Round‑of‑16 penalty shootout last season — a 3‑3 draw that ended in Al‑Hilal’s defeat — the match turned out to be a tense, low‑scoring affair that never reached the attacking quality shown in April.
One factor was Al‑Hilal’s arduous overland trip to Doha. With King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh closed after recent attacks, the squad had to bus the roughly 600 km journey, which took close to seven hours instead of the usual 90‑minute flight.
Additionally, the low bar for knockout‑stage qualification (just eight points from eight games sufficed last season) and Al‑Hilal’s solid squad depth — even without Crysencio Summerville and Theo Hernandez — reduced any pressure on Simone Inzaghi’s men to push for an aggressive performance.
Meanwhile, Al‑Sadd’s attacking verve under head coach Razvan Lucescu paled compared with the Roberto Mancini era, contributing to the game’s restrained tempo.
That does not mean Al‑Sadd were harmless. In the 32nd minute Akram Afif slipped a pass through Al‑Hilal’s back line to Mohammed Al‑Manai, who, under pressure from Kalidou Koulibaly, carved out a tight angle to test Yassine Bounou at the far post. The shot rattled the woodwork, a miss Al‑Sadd would regret just eight minutes later.
Soon after, a swift right‑side move involving Mohammed Mahzari, Sergej Milinković‑Savić and Sultan Mandash created space for Mandash to release Ollie Watkins. Watkins was fouled by Agustín Soria in the box, scrambled a shot from the ground and scored — his first goal in the competition — giving Al‑Hilal the lead.
The second half mirrored the first. Al‑Sadd could still navigate Al‑Hilal’s midfield but lacked the incisive finishing that had served them well the previous season. Even when they broke through in the 76th minute — Giovanni’s cross‑box pass found Roberto Firmino, whose effort was cleared off the line by Koulibaly despite beating Bounou — the danger was neutralized.
By then Al‑Hilal had already doubled their advantage. Gabriel Martinelli surged through midfield to set up Watkins in transition; Paulo Otávio blocked the shot with his arm, prompting a VAR review that awarded a penalty. Ruben Neves converted calmly into the corner.
The win followed a 2‑1 home victory over Al‑Gharafa on Matchday 1, leaving Al‑Hilal with a perfect record after two games and joint top of Group B alongside UAE’s Al‑Ain and Iran’s Esteghlal.
Looking ahead, Al‑Hilal will meet Al‑Shamal on 27 October, their third consecutive Qatari opponent. After Tuesday’s loss and a 3‑0 defeat to Esteghlal on Matchday 1, Al‑Sadd remain without a point or a goal in the tournament and will travel to Dammam on 26 October to face Al‑Qadsiah.
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