Al Hilal creates world record for consecutive victories with 28th consecutive victory – Firstpost
Al Hilal have now won 28 matches in a row, surpassing the previous record of 27 consecutive wins by a top team, set by Welsh side New Saints in 2016.
Saudi Arabian Pro League club Al Hilal reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League on Tuesday with a record victory over Al Ittihad. Ittihad’s 2-0 victory at King Abdullah Sport City saw Al Hilal set the world record for consecutive wins. Al Hilal have now won 28 matches in a row, surpassing the previous record of 27 consecutive wins by a top team, set by Welsh side New Saints in 2016.
Riyadh-based Hilal, already the most successful team in AFC Champions League history with four titles, won 4-0 on aggregate in Jeddah.
Finalist last year, Hilal triumphed in the quarter-final second leg thanks to second-half goals from Yasser Al Shahrani and Brazilian Malcom.
Hilal will meet Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals next month after the 2003 champions won on penalties against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on Monday.
Ittihad’s miserable evening was summed up in the last minute of normal time when striker Abderrazak Hamdallah received a second booking for grabbing Hilal defender Ali Al Bulaihi in the throat.
The confrontation gave rise to numerous clashes between the opposing groups of actors.
Ittihad, winners of the Champions League in 2004 and 2005, were missing many key players.
Karim Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner signed last summer from Real Madrid, was once again absent due to injury, while 2018 World Cup winner N’Golo Kante was suspended after being sent off in the first leg.
However, it was the current Saudi Pro League champions who posed the biggest threat for most of the encounter.
Ittihad almost opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Romarinho’s left-footed strike from the edge of Hilal’s penalty area fell back off the post.
At the start of the second half, Hilal goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais was called upon twice. First, the Saudi international blocked Marwan Al Sahafi’s low shot on the counter, before leaping to his right to brilliantly repel Ahmed Al Ghamdi’s fierce strike.
However, in the 61st minute, Hilal secured his place in the semi-final.
Salem Al Dawsari played Sergej Milinkovic-Savic for the Serbian international to feed Al Shahrani, who slotted low past Ittihad goalkeeper Abdullah Al Mayouf.
Malcom then wrapped up the result well into added time, racing onto Aleksandar Mitrovic’s through ball to seal a memorable night for the Riyadh giants.
Hilal, who leads the Saudi Pro League with 12 points, has won his last nine Champions League matches. They won the trophy most recently in 2021.
With AFP inputs
