Koulibaly on target as Al-Hilal remain perfect in the Asian Champions League

Al-Hilal secured a 3-1 win over Qatar’s Al-Sadd in Riyadh on Tuesday as the Saudi Pro League side continued their perfect start to the western competition phase of the Asian Champions League Elite.

First-half goals from Yusuf Akcicek and Kalidou Koulibaly put Simone Inzaghi’s side under control before Roberto Firmino pulled the ball back for the visitor, but Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s late free-kick sealed the points for Al-Hilal.

«It was a difficult match, we wanted to win and today I can be happy to score and get an assist and we move on to the next match,» said Senegal international Koulibaly.

«We know we have to do well in front of our fans. We made a good game, so we can be happy.»

Akcicek put the four-time winners ahead after 25 minutes when he struck from close range after Koulibaly tapped the ball into his path following a Theo Hernandez free-kick that Al-Sadd’s defense struggled to clear.

Fifteen minutes later, Koulibaly put his own name on the scoresheet when he evaded Al-Sadd’s defense and met Ruben Neves’ left corner, with the former Chelsea man firing the ball over the line at the far post.

Firmino gave Al-Sadd hope when he tapped in Pedro Miguel’s low cross unmarked from the right in the 63rd minute, but Milinkovic-Savic curled a delicious free-kick past Meshaal Barsham with nine minutes remaining to confirm the win.

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Al-Hilal leads the Western League standings with a maximum of nine points from three matches, two points ahead of defending champions Al-Ahli, also from Saudi Arabia, and the duo of Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Wahda from the United Arab Emirates.

The top eight players in the 12-team rankings will advance to the knockout rounds, which will take place in March, with the centralized quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in Saudi Arabia in April.

Shabab Al-Ahli continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 4-1 win over Uzbekistan’s Nasaf in Dubai.

Federico Cartabia put the home side ahead in the eighth minute, running into Guilherme Bala’s low center to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

Zafarmurod Abdirahmatov leveled two minutes later with a strike from the right that found the far corner, but Renan restored the home side’s lead in the 27th minute with a header that Oleksandr Vorobei fumbled over the line.

Shabab Al-Ahli went further ahead four minutes before half-time when Saeid Ezatolahi’s incisive ball from inside his own half released Mateusao, who fired a deft first-time finish over the goalkeeper as he sprinted into the area.

Breno Cascardo’s poor effort from close range in the fifth minute of extra time secured a big victory for Paulo Sousa’s side

Published on October 22, 2025