Blazing Hat-Trick Sparks Do-or-Die AFC Elite Clash: Bolbina Carves Up Ittihad
24 November 2025
In a high-octane AFC Champions League Elite group stage clash played in Doha, Algerian forward Adel Bolbina delivered a performance for the ages as Al Duhail stunned Al Ittihad 4-2.
The night belonged to Bolbina, who struck in the 5th, 33rd, and 53rd minutes to complete a historic hat-trick. Cristof Piatek added the fourth for Duhail in the 74th minute, while Karim Benzema struck twice for Al Ittihad in the 76th and 83rd minutes to keep the game lively until the end.
With the result, Al Ittihad sits seventh in Group West with six points, while Al Duhail rise to sixth on seven points, tightening a highly competitive group race.
Historic Hat-Trick
Bolbina delivered a treble of decisive finishes in three different ways: a thunderous strike from outside the box in the opening moments, a composed finish after dribbling past a defender mid-way through the first half, and a deft left-footed strike to seal the night after a rapid run.
His display is not a one-off moment; he now sits among the competition leaders with six combined goals and assists in the AFC Elite campaign, turning heads and raising expectations for Duhail.
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The tallies for Bolbina climbed to five goals plus one assist in five Elite matches, placing him at the sharp end of the scoring table and underscoring his importance to Al Duhail’s attack.
Danilo Pereira’s late strike completed the 4-2 tally for Duhail, while Benzema’s brace underscored Al Ittihad’s capacity to punish, even in defeat, in a contest that was as open as it was entertaining.
Ittihad in Freefall
The setback highlighted a worrying stretch for the Saudi giants, who appeared short of their usual solidity in Doha under coach Sergio Conceicao. This is more than a single bad night; it points to a broader pattern of inconsistency across both domestic and continental fronts.
Injuries, rotation, and a fragile defensive line have left Ittihad exposed whenever they face high-intensity pressing teams. The group standings now represent a true test of balance and tactical clarity for the squad and coaching staff.
All in all, Ittihad enters a pivotal phase still searching for a clear identity and a coherent plan to sustain results, rather than chasing results in a scattergun fashion.
Punchline 1: If defending were a sniper sport, Ittihad forgot their target at halftime and paid the price.
Punchline 2: Bolbina’s left foot was so precise tonight that even my jokes could not miss the mark.
