Football fans, brace yourselves! ⚽️ Al Hilal is on fire in the AFC Champions League Elite, keeping their perfect record alive with a 3-0 victory over Iran's Esteghlal. But the night wasn't all celebrations, as star player Neymar was sidelined due to an injury. 😢
Aleksandar Mitrovic was the hero of the night, netting a stunning hat-trick that had fans on the edge of their seats! 🎩✨ His goals in the 15th, 33rd, and 74th minutes secured the win and kept Al Hilal at the top of their game.
Meanwhile, over in Jeddah, it was a goal fest! 🎉 Al Ahli's dynamic duo, Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez, showed off their skills with two goals each in a smashing 5-1 victory over Iraq's Al Shorta. Talk about a power combo! 💪🔥
The evening wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though. Neymar, who had just returned from a long recovery due to an ACL injury, was forced to leave the pitch after only 29 minutes. Fans everywhere are hoping for a speedy recovery! 🤞❤️
Other matches saw tight contests with Iran's Persepolis drawing 1-1 against Qatar's Al Gharafa, and Al Wasl from the UAE sharing points with Qatar's Al Sadd after a 1-1 draw.
With both Al Hilal and Al Ahli maintaining a perfect score, the competition is heating up! 🔥 They now hold a four-point lead over third-placed Al Sadd. Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr are gearing up to take on titleholders Al Ain on Tuesday—it’s going to be epic! 🏟️✨
The AFC Champions League Elite is shaking things up this season, and we can't wait to see which teams make it to the knockout rounds in March. Keep your eyes peeled, football fans! 👀⚽️
Reference(s):
Al Hilal stay perfect in AFC Champions League despite injury to Neymar
cgtn.com
