Al Hilal sealed top spot in Group C of the 2015 AFC Champions League on Tuesday when Mohammed Kasola’s own goal handed last year’s beaten finalists a 2-1 win at the King Fahd International Stadium.Kasola steered Khalid Kaabi’s shot into his own net 21 minutes from time to give Al Hilal a deserved win in a game the Saudi side dominated throughout, and the three points ensures Georgis Donis’ side avenged their earlier loss against the Qataris.
Yousef Al Salem put Al Hilal in front in the 20th minute during a spell in which the Saudis threatened to put the result beyond Al Sadd, but the Qatar Stars League side pulled themselves back into the game when Hassan Al Haydos netted a 32nd minute penalty.
Al Sadd were missing former AFC Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim, but the 2011 champions still fielded a strong line-up featuring Brazilian duo Muriqui and Grafite in attack.
However Al Sadd’s options up front made little difference in the opening 30 minutes as Al Hilal were in rampant form and but for Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb the outcome would have been a heavy loss.
With barely 45 seconds on the clock, Abdelkarim Hassan was forced to concede possession just outside his own penalty area before Al Salem ran in on goal, only to fire off a shot that was straight at Al Sheeb.
Al Sheeb kept out efforts from Al Salem and Mohammed Al Shalhoub soon after, but there was little he could do when Al Hilal took a deserved lead in the 20th minute.
Faisal Darwish advanced down the right before cutting the ball back to Salman Al Faraj and his cross was deflected into the path of Al Salem, who thumped the ball into the roof of the net.
Al Sadd had caused their hosts few problems until that point, but with Al Hilal sitting back after taking the lead, the Qataris came back into the game.
Grafite set himself up with an overhead effort that he sent wide in the 24th minute and, seven minutes later, the former Wolfsburg forward was upended in the area by Ahmed Sharahili, leaving referee Ko Hyung-jin little option but to point to the spot.
Al Haydos made no mistake, sending Abdullah Al Sdairy to his right as the Qatar international put his penalty firmly down the middle to level the scores.
Al Hilal started the second half in much the same fashion as the first with Thiago Neves shooting over the bar and Kaabi forcing Al Sheeb into action before Kwak Tae-hwi also fired over.
Abdelkarim Hassan had a rare sight of goal for Al Sadd when he headed over the bar but, in the 69th minute, Al Hilal sealed the win when Kaabi latched on to Al Faraj’s perfectly weighted through ball and his poorly directed shot was diverted into the Al Sadd goal by Kasola to give Al Hilal a deserved win
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