Hilal's 4-0 Blitz Secures Elite Knockout Berth
25 November 2025
Hilal clinches Elite knockout berth with 4-0 win over Al Shorta
Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia officially secured a place in the Round of 16 of the Elite AFC Champions League after a 4-0 victory over Al Shorta on Tuesday at the Kingdom Arena, in the fifth group match.
Marcus Leonardo opened the scoring with a first-half strike at 45 minutes and doubled the lead with another goal at 72 minutes. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic added the second in the 63rd minute, and Joao Cancelo completed the scoring with a late header at 90+3.
With the win, Hilal extended their winning streak to five matches in the Elite group, sitting proudly at the top of the Western group with 15 points. Al Shorta remain on a single point, anchored in 11th place.
Hilal became the second team to reach the knockout stage, following the UAE’s Al-Wahda, who defeated Al Sadd 3-1 in the same round.
Coach Simone Inzaghi rotated his squad, resting several stars including the goalkeeper, and giving a night to a fresh-faced lineup. The defense saw Cancelo return to the backline, with Kalidou Kalibali and Yusuf Akctick forming the central area and Theo Hernandez at left back as the team aimed to protect the advantage and prepare for the next challenges.
Midfield was shuffled as well, with some regulars rested in favor of a compact setup built around Mohammed Kano and the Serbian Milinkovic-Savic, while attackers Malcom and Caio Cesar were joined by the prolific Marcus Leonardo up front.
In attack, Leonardo led the line as the focal point, supported by Malcom and Caio Cesar, as Hilal sought to stretch the shorta defense and exploit counter opportunities.
The match opened with a measured tempo, as Shorta’s Ahmed Farhan tried an early shot in the third minute that veered wide. The parties exchanged controlled possession in a cautious first half, with Leonardo brushing a promising effort aside as the breakthrough approached.
The breakthrough finally arrived just before the break: Leonardo met a low cross from Malcom with a precise header to make it 1-0 at the 45th minute, sending Hilal into half-time with the lead.
Second half
The start of the second half saw Shorta press briefly, but Hilal quickly steadied the ship and forced decisive moments. At 53 minutes, Caio Cesar cut through a hesitant defense but couldn’t finish, while the team continued to press in waves.
In the 62nd minute, Shorta’s Ahmed Yahya was sent off for a second booking, a turning point that left the Iraqi side a man down and chasing the game.
A free-kick from Cancelo on the edge of the box set up the second for Milinkovic-Savic, whose header found the net after a scramble in the 64th minute. Two minutes later, Caio Cesar sent a cross that Malcom failed to convert at close range, keeping the momentum with Hilal.
With 10 minutes remaining, Inzaghi unleashed further changes, and Leonardo struck again in the 72nd minute after a cross from a substitute, pushing the score to 3-0 and sealing the match’s fate.
In the final minutes, Cancelo delivered another ball into the box, and this time, Milinkovic-Savic headed home from close range for the 4-0 final in stoppage time.
As the result stands, Hilal lead Group Western with 15 points, while Shorta linger at the bottom with one point. The UAE’s Al-Wahda’s 3-1 win over Al Sadd in the same round confirmed Hilal’s secure progression to the knockout stage.
Punchlines to finish with a wink
Punchline 1: If goals were jokes, Hilal just delivered a four-piece stand-up set—Shorta didn’t get the punchline. Punchline 2: With a bench that depth, even the subs are filing for a standing ovation. If you blink, you’ll miss a goal—so bring your popcorn and a calculator.
