Al-Hilal get cup boost before AFC Champions League final

Riyadh, April 24 (BNA): Al-Hilal came close to racing for the Saudi Professional League title, but it gained morale by defeating its rivals Al-Ittihad in the semi-finals of the King’s Cup, before the first-leg match in the AFC Champions League final. Against Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday.

Reuters reports that Al Hilal prevailed 1-0 thanks to an own goal from Al Ittihad captain Ahmed Hegazy in extra time on Sunday to reach the cup final where Cristiano Ronaldo will face modest Al Nassr or Al Wahda.

This is the second successive victory for Al-Hilal, who is fourth in the league standings, seven points behind leaders Al-Ittihad, who played two postponed matches.

“We have five days until the final (against Urawa), and we can recover both physically and mentally. We have turned this page and (now) we are thinking about the next (match),” Al-Hilal goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf said. for the local SSC TV channel.

Al-Hilal, who lost 5-3 to Real Madrid in the Club World Cup in February, host Urawa in the first leg on April 29th. The second leg will be away at Saitama Stadium on May 6.

Despite Al Hilal’s position in the league, it will play in the AFC Champions League next season as the champion of Saudi Arabia last year, due to changes in the start and end dates of the Asian Championship.

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