The AFC Champions League is a stage where champions shine, and Al-Hilal vs Al-Shorta was no exception. In front of a roaring home crowd in Riyadh, Al-Hilal delivered a five-star performance, thumping Al-Shorta of Iraq 5-0. With five different players getting on the scoresheet, Al-Hilal made it look as easy as a training session, cruising to their second win of the campaign.
It’s clear that Al-Hilal’s dominance is stretching far beyond the domestic scene. After a shaky start to the season, they’ve now won nine games in a row across all competitions, and judging by their form, it looks like they might be planning to build a trophy cabinet the size of their stadium.
The Goals: A Symphony of Scoring
Let’s break down the goal fiesta, shall we? The scoring began early and came thick and fast. Just 11 minutes into the game, Aleksandar Mitrovic headed the ball into the danger zone for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, whose shot was saved by Ahmed Basil. However, Marcos Leonardo—recently signed from Benfica as Neymar’s injury cover—pounced on the rebound and tucked it away, opening the floodgates.
Four minutes later, Mitrovic, who was in the mood for destruction, headed home from a neat cross by Renan Lodi. If this were a boxing match, Al-Shorta would’ve thrown in the towel right about then. The Iraqi defense looked like they were drowning in Al-Hilal’s relentless pressure, and their forays into the opposition half were so brief they might as well have taken selfies to prove they were there.
Al-Shorta’s “Mission Impossible”
By the time the half-time whistle blew, Al-Shorta’s confidence had been knocked out of the park. Their chances were slim to none—emphasis on none—as even the rare ventures past midfield were tidied up by Kalidou Koulibaly and Ali Al-Bulaihi. The only thing Al-Shorta could celebrate was Hussein Ali’s shot that went wide. Unfortunately for them, that was their best attempt of the night.
If there were any lingering hopes for a comeback, they were swiftly extinguished just five minutes into the second half. Mitrovic, proving he’s more than just a goal-scorer, set up Salem Al-Dawsari, whose low shot slid smoothly into the bottom corner. Three goals to the good, Al-Hilal were just getting started.
Cancel(o) That Comeback: More Goals, More Fun
In the 73rd minute, Joao Cancelo joined the fun, pulling off some magical footwork down the right side before threading a pass to Nasser Al-Dawsari, who slotted it home from point-blank range. Al-Shorta’s defense, by this point, was probably wishing they could clock out early.
There was more to come. After some near misses, including a close-range effort from Abdullah Al-Hamdan and a shot from Cancelo that narrowly missed the top corner, Al-Hilal saved their best for last. Mohammed Kanno capped off the evening in style, exchanging passes with Mohammed Al-Qahtani on the edge of the box before curling the ball into the top corner. It was the kind of goal that makes you want to watch the replay several times over, just to appreciate the beauty of it.
FAQs
Al-Hilal defeated Al-Shorta 5-0 in a dominant display during their AFC Champions League match.
Al-Hilal had five different goal-scorers: Marcos Leonardo, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Salem Al-Dawsari, Nasser Al-Dawsari, and Mohammed Kanno.
Al-Hilal were in complete control from start to finish, dominating possession and creating numerous chances. Their defense was rock-solid, and their attack was clinical.
Al-Hilal are on a roll with two wins in two matches in the AFC Champions League, and they’ll look to continue their perfect start as they aim for their fifth title in the competition.
Al-Shorta struggled to get a foothold in the game. Their defense couldn’t cope with Al-Hilal’s attacking prowess, and they created very few chances going forward.
Conclusion
If anyone doubted Al-Hilal’s status as one of the top teams in Asia, their 5-0 demolition of Al-Shorta should erase any such skepticism. With five different players scoring and nine consecutive wins across all competitions, Al-Hilal are showing that they are not just aiming for domestic dominance—they’re going for continental glory.
As for Al-Shorta, it was a tough night at the office. The Iraqis, who had held Al-Nassr to a draw just weeks before, were outclassed and outplayed by a rampant Al-Hilal. Their task only gets harder from here, with matches against other heavyweights to come in the AFC Champions League.
For Al-Hilal, the future looks bright. With a squad packed full of talent, including Mitrovic, Kanno, and Cancelo, it’s hard to see how anyone will stop them. If they keep up this form, we might be looking at the next AFC Champions League winners. Their fans will certainly hope so, and on the evidence so far, it’s hard to argue against it!
