Al-hilal SFC defeated Esteghlal F.C. 3-0 at the AFC Champions League, keeping Al-Hilal SFC at the top of the West zone standings with 12 points and leaving Esteghlal with just three points as the league phase hits its midway point.
Match Highlights
Shortly after the game began, Esteghlal’s player Ramin Rezaein nearly scored with a header in the 4th minute. However, the ball hit the post, and he landed badly, which forced him to be replaced by Alireza Kooshki due to injury.
Al-Hilal SFC quickly went on the attack. Mitrovic scored his second goal of the tournament with a cross from Nasser Al Dawsari in the 15th minute, .
Then, in the 33rd minute, Renan Lodi made a run and crossed the ball, allowing Mitrovic to tap it in for his second goal of the game.
In the second half, Neymar came on as a substitute for Abdullah Al Hamddan, making his return after a long injury.
In the 74th minute, Mitrovic completed his hat-trick with a header from Joao Cancelo’s cross, securing the win.
Al-hilal SFC vs Esteghlal F.C. Stats
|
Al-hilal SFC |
Stats Type |
Esteghlal F.C. |
|---|---|---|
|
64.6% |
Possession |
35.4% |
|
8 |
Shots on Goal |
4 |
|
13 |
Shot Attempts |
13 |
|
10 |
Fouls |
12 |
|
0 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
|
8 |
Corner Kicks |
4 |
|
4 |
Saves |
6 |
Al-Hilal SFC had a possession time of 64.6%, while Esteghlal had 35.4%, which is almost double that of Esteghlal.
Al-Hilal SFC had 8 shots on target, while Esteghlal had 4. Both teams had 13 total shot attempts. Esteghlal committed more fouls, with 12. Al-Hilal SFC also had more corner kicks, with 8, which is twice as many as Esteghlal’s 4.
Overall, Al-Hilal SFC showed stronger ball control and attacking efficiency in the match. Their shooting quality and corner kick opportunities were clearly better than Esteghlal’s. Although Esteghlal was more aggressive in committing fouls, this did not effectively stop Al-Hilal’s attack. Esteghlal needs to adjust their defensive strategy to reduce fouls and improve their offensive quality and efficiency. For Al-Hilal, maintaining possession and a strong attack will be key to winning future matches.
