Moamen Soliman: Al Hilal Could Spark the Premier League — Here’s Why Al-Shorta Crumbled
25 November 2025
Match takeaway
Moamen Soliman, the Iraqi coach of Al-Shorta, praised the formidable strength of Al Hilal after their 4-0 defeat in the West Asia Elite group stage of the AFC Champions League.
He noted that facing a side of such quality is a huge challenge for any team in Asia, and the result confirmed Hilal’s elevated status in the competition.
Group standings and qualification
The loss deepened Al-Shorta’s campaign, leaving them with a single point near the bottom of the table, while Al Hilal maintained a perfect record with 15 points from five matches, staying firmly atop the group.
Hilal formally booked a place in the Round of 16, with Al Wahda UAE also sealing progression by beating Al Sadd 3-1 to secure qualification ahead of the final round.
Soliman’s post-match view
In the post-match press conference, Soliman accepted the result and said facing Hilal at this moment is a massive challenge for any team in Asia.
“I cannot blame any team for facing a side of this quality and experience. Hilal is currently operating at an exceptional level that would allow them to play in the English Premier League without exaggeration,” he stated, highlighting Hilal’s blend of top local talents and foreign players with strong European background.
He added that the Saudi project and the Roshen Pro League are pushing the country toward becoming the strongest competition in the region, with broad fan engagement at home and abroad.
Looking ahead
Soliman explained that he had anticipated Hilal’s capabilities before the match and attempted to craft a plan to withstand them, especially in the opening period.
He described the aim of the first half as limiting space and maintaining defensive discipline, though Hilal’s attacking prowess complicated the plan.
He described the turning point as Ahmed Yahya’s red card in the 61st minute, which shifted the game and made it nearly impossible to sustain the team’s rhythm with ten men against a physically and technically sharp opponent.
“Playing with ten against a team of this caliber is extremely difficult,” Soliman said, noting how Hilal knows how to press and exhaust defenses while controlling the tempo.
Despite the defeat, he expressed pride in his players and said the experience would help them grow, emphasizing that competing against such sides exposes players to different football schools and will benefit the club long term.
Looking forward
Al Shorta still faces three challenging fixtures: December 22 against Al Ahli Saudi in the West, followed by Nasaf in Uzbekistan, and a meeting with Al Duhail in Iraq. The team would need three straight wins to keep realistic hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds alive.
These are the kinds of lessons that shape squads—if you can survive a nightmarish 4-0, you can survive anything in football (even your own in-laws’ team dinner).
