Al Hilal's Asian Dream Starts With a 3-2 Thriller Over Nasaf

Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia opened their AFC Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan in a lively West Asia group fixture that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The hosts took the lead in the 21st minute when Serge Savic pounced on a deflected ball to convert, and Theo Hernandez added a second just before the break in a move that showcased Hilal's threat from the left flank. Nasaf hit back in the 27th minute with a well-worked strike by Bakhromov and then moved ahead in the 61st minute through Javokhir Sidikov, turning the match on its head.

Marcus Leonardo struck in the 79th minute to restore parity and then seal the win for Hilal, as the Saudi side steadied themselves and saw out the closing stages with a disciplined defensive display and timely counters.

Hilal now sit atop Group West Asia with six points, while Nasaf remain winless after two matches. The game featured mixed fortunes for both teams, with a surface that hindered fluent play at times and a storyline that featured rapid momentum shifts and late drama.

Lineups

Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou. Defense: Hasan Al-Tembakti, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ali Al-Bulayhi. Midfield: Hamd Al-Yami, Theo Hernandez, Rubén Neves, Mohammed Kanno, Serge Milinkovic-Savic. Attack: Abdullah Al-Hamdan.

The setup reflected a balance between defensive solidity and midfield creativity, with the forward line deployed to exploit spaces behind Nasaf's back line.

Key moments

From the start, Hilal pressed with tempo, looking to seize control. The opening goal arrived in the 21st minute as Savic converted a deflection to put Hilal ahead. Nasaf responded rapidly, drawing level in the 27th minute when Bakhromov struck from distance, and then took the lead in the 61st minute through Sidikov after a through ball found him in space.

Hilal responded with urgency, and in first-half stoppage time Hernandez produced a moment of individual brilliance, curling a finish into the net to restore parity. The second period featured chances on both sides, but Hilal's persistence paid off in the 79th minute when Marcus Leonardo finished a Savic pass to complete the turnaround.

Late in the game, substitutes were used to shore up the midfield and defense as Hilal managed the closing minutes to secure the win. The tactical battle, coupled with a few sharp counter-attacks and set-piece moments, defined the contest until the final whistle.

Lineups echoed the balance described above, with Bounou in goal, a back three anchored by Koulibaly and Al-Bulayhi, and a midfield core featuring Al-Yami, Hernandez, Neves, Kanno, and Savic, while Abdullah Al-Hamdan led the line for Hilal.

Punchline time: If football ever needed a cliffhanger, this was it—goal droughts forget to exist when a six-second highlight reel is on loop. Punchline two: They say football is a game of inches; tonight it was a game of seconds, and Hilal found every single one of them—good thing the clock loves drama as much as the players do.