Al Duhail's Adil Boulbina (right) prepares to score a goal against Al Hilal.
Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail suffered a narrow defeat in their opening AFC Champions League Elite match as Al Hilal came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory in Riyadh last night.
Adil Boulbina had silenced the home crowd at Kingdom Arena with a brilliant solo goal in the 37th minute, but Simone Inzaghi’s side mounted a strong second-half comeback with goals from substitute Darwin Nunez and Theo Hernandez in the 57th and 67th minutes, respectively.
It was a well-deserved win for the pre-tournament favourites, who dominated possession and showcased sustained attacking intent throughout the match.
The game began at a lively pace. Al Duhail’s Luis Alberto saw an early attempt blocked, while Al Hilal’s Malcom sent a long-range effort over the bar as both sides traded chances in the opening minutes.
The hosts nearly went ahead in the 15th minute when Nasser Al Dawsari latched onto a fine through ball from Salem Al Dawsari, only to drag his shot wide from the left side of the box.
Al Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria was kept busy throughout the first half, producing a string of important saves. He denied Malcom from close range and then blocked a strike from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to keep his side level.
Against the run of play, Al Duhail took the lead with a fine counterattack. Youssouf Sabaly lofted a long ball forward for Boulbina, who used his pace to beat two defenders, rounded the onrushing Yassine Bounou, and slotted the ball home from the centre of the box - a clinical finish that stunned the home fans.
Al Hilal thought they had equalised just before the break when Yusuf Akcicek fired in a low shot from outside the box, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review revealed a handball by Marcos Leonardo in the build-up.
Trailing 1-0 at half-time, Al Hilal came out with renewed urgency. Hernandez missed narrowly early in the second half as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.
Their pressure paid off in the 57th minute when Hamad Al Yami cut the ball back from near the byline for Nunez, who guided a precise left-footed shot into the top left corner.
Milinkovic-Savic nearly made it 2-1 the next minute, firing just wide as Al Hilal continued to press.
Al Duhail tried to hit back through Boulbina, but his effort was blocked by brilliantly by Ruben Neves.
At the other end, Zakaria continued his strong performance, parrying a dangerous shot from Salem Al Dawsari.
Al Hilal eventually found the winner in the 67th minute. Hernandez’s strike from outside the box took a deflection off Ibrahima Bamba, nestling into the net.
Despite Al Duhail’s attempts to respond late on, Al Hilal held firm under pressure to seal a comeback win and start their campaign on a winning note.
Djamel Belmadi’s Al Duhail will host defending champions Al Ahli Saudi in their second match on September 29 at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium.
