Persepolis Fail to Book Place in 2021 ACL Semis

Date: 17 October 2021 - 21:14

News ID: ۹۵۵۳۰

TEHRAN – Al-Hilal SFC have reached the semifinals of the 2021 AFC Champions League after defeating Iran’s Persepolis FC 3-0 at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium.
Al-Hilal dominated throughout and controlled the possession of the match.
The scoring was opened on 27 minutes by Saudi Arabia international Salem Al Dawsari, who received a long ball from Mohammed Kanno on the left flank, cut inside while taking on a few players, before lashing out a well-placed shot to Hamed Lak’s top corner, with the Iranian flying at full body length but still unable to make the save.
Just five minutes into the second period of play, Frenchman Bafetimbi Gomis doubled Al-Hilal’s lead after Pereira found space on the flank and intelligently played a low cross to the former Swansea City striker, who was waiting on the shoulder of the last defender and comfortably tapped in past Lak to make it 2-0.
Gomis added Al Hilal’s third of the night with 20 minutes of play left, after a beautiful string of passes weaved through the Persepolis backline by Pereira and Al Dawsari, the latter cutting back the ball for Gomis’ sixth goal of the campaign.
The win means Al-Hilal set up a heated Riyadh Derby in the semi-finals, as it faces arch rival Al-Nassr on Tuesday for a place in the 2021 AFC Champions League final.