Four-Goal Night in Doha: Duhail Stuns Al-Ittihad as Boulbina Nets a Hat-Trick
24 November 2025
Match Highlights
Algerian Adil Boulbina led Al Duhail to a 4-2 win over Saudi visitors Al Ittihad at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, a key fixture in the West Zone round five of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-2026.
In the postmatch press conference after earning the man of the match award, Boulbina said the victory put Duhail back in the mix for a knockout berth in the continental competition.
The Algerian stressed that the win did not come easy against a club of Al Ittihad's stature, with the Qatar side delivering a spirited performance and showing real fighting spirit that could lift the players in upcoming fixtures.
Boulbina also expressed happiness at sitting near the top of the competition alongside his teammates, noting that the best path forward is to stay compact and push for qualification to the knockout rounds.
The match produced a standout display from Boulbina as he completed a hat trick for Duhil, scoring in the 5th, 33rd and 53rd minutes. Krzysztof Piatek added the fourth in the 74th minute, while Karim Benzema scored twice for Al Ittihad in the 76th and 83rd minutes.
"Events of the night" p style is retained here to keep the narrative aligned with the original structure. Duhail opened with purpose and took the lead after Boulbina controlled a pass and fired home from outside the box in the fifth minute, igniting the home crowd.
Moments later a rapid counter saw Boulbina drift into the box and finish clinically for a second, boosting the Qatar side ahead and lifting their momentum as the interval approached.
In the second half Boulbina completed his hat trick by breaking into the box and finding the net again, delivering a commanding 3-0 lead for Duhail before the hour mark, before Piatek struck to extend the advantage.
Al Ittihad did respond with a quick double, Benzema finding the net twice in succession to give the visitors hope, but time ran short and Duhail collected all three points on offer, strengthening their bid to advance in the tournament.
The West Zone standings show Al Hilal at the top with 12 points from four games, followed by Tractor on 11 from five, and Al Ahli Saudi, Al Wahda, and Shabab Al Ahli UAE on 10. Duhail sit on seven, with Al Ittihad on six, Al Sharjah on four, Al Gharafa on three, Al S. Doha on two, and Nasaf on one point after four rounds.
The sixth round of the West Zone is scheduled for December 22-23, with Tractor versus Duhail in Termez and Al Ittihad against Nasaf in Jeddah as key fixtures in the race to the knockout stage.
Looking back, Duhail lost their opener to Al Hilal 1-2 in Riyadh, then drew 2-2 with Al Ahli in Doha, followed by a 1-3 defeat to Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi and a 4-1 win over Shabab Al Ahli in Doha. Al Ittihad also endured a rocky start, losing to Al Wahda 1-2 in Abu Dhabi and to Shabab Al Ahli 0-1 in Jeddah, before a 4-1 win over Al Shorta in Baghdad and a 3-0 victory over Al Sharjah in Jeddah.
Qualifying from the West Zone involves the top eight teams advancing to the knockout rounds, which unfold as two-legged ties culminating in a final phase hosted in Saudi Arabia, with teams from the East and West zones colliding for the title.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper rifle, Boulbina loaded up and zeroed in on the hat-trick targetânice shot, champ. Punchline 2: The only thing sharper than Benzemaâs finishing tonight was the fansâ sense of humor after watching the back-and-forthâcoach says itâs a tactical masterclass, the bench says itâs a caffeine-fueled thriller.
