Hilal down Jazira 3-2; Wahda hold Ittihad in ACL football

Hosts Al Jazira let slip the chance to score their first win in this year’s AFC Champions League when they went down 2-3 to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in a Group A match at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium. Two quick goals from Ali Mabkhout and Abdullah Qasem late in the first half gave recent President’s Cup winners Al Jazira a 2-0 lead at the break. But Al Hilal hit back with two goals from Yasser Qahtani and a penalty goal from Mirel Radoi to post their third win in four matches. Al Jazira’s coach Abel Braga, with the UAE Pro League in mind, rested goalkeeper Ali Khasief, foreign trio Bare, Ricardo Oliviera and Mattias Delgado, Subait Khater and Saleh Basheer while Al Hilal were in full strength. After four matches each Iran’s Sepahan and Al Hilal are level on 9 points each while Qatar’s Al Gharafa are on four and Al Jazira lie last with a single point. In another Group C match, Al Wahda kept their slim hopes alive with a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in an awaty match. Al Ittihad leads the group with 10 points while Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor are on five while Al Wahda has three with three draws and a loss. Iran’s Piroozi have two and the last three teams all have a chance to accompany Al Ittihad into the second round.