ABU DHABI: Four-times winners Al-Hilal confirmed their place in the last 16 of this year’s Asian Champions League on Tuesday after the Saudi Pro League side beat Uzbekistan’s Navbahor 2-0 despite a pair of missed penalties from Salem Al-Dawsari.

The win for the visitors at Markaziy Stadium in Namangan takes Al-Hilal onto 13 points from five games in Group ‘D’ and the Saudi club’s better head-to-head record over Navbahor means Jorge Jesus’ side cannot be supplanted at the summit.

Al-Dawsari, who was recently named the Asian Football Confed­eration’s Player of the Year, endured a miserable night from the penalty spot, missing the opportunity to put Al-Hilal in front in the 11th minute.

The Saudi Arabia international dragged that spot kick wide before squandering a second opportunity from 12 yards at the other end midway through the second half.

Navabhor goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov kept out the second attempt, but substitute Malcom latched onto the rebound to score with his first touch having been introduced from the bench moments earlier. The goal was his first in the competition since a summer move from Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Al-Dawsari managed to redeem himself with five minutes remaining, however, scoring with a perfectly judged lob from outside the area that sailed over the head of Yusupov to seal the win for Al-Hilal. Navbahor’s Ibrokhim Yuldoshev was sent off late on for a second bookable offence.

While Al-Hilal have secured the group’s one guaranteed place in the next round, Navbahor are still in contention for one of the three best runners-up berths in the next phase.

Samvel Babyan’s side will take on Mumbai City, who lost 2-0 to Iran’s Nassaji Mazandaran on Tuesday in a clash between the group’s two eliminated teams in Tehran, in their final group game.

Meanwhile, Uzbek side Pakhtakor handed already qualified Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates a 3-1 defeat in Group ‘A’ to boost their hopes of one of the runners-up spots in the next round.

Eisa Khalfan had given 2003 champions Al-Ain the lead in their first game in the competition under new coach Hernan Crespo but Hojimat Erkinov struck twice after the interval and Dragan Ceran added a third to earn Pakhtakor all three points.

The win takes Maksim Shatskikh’s team onto seven points and keeps them one ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Al Fayha, who won 3-1 against Ahal from Turkmenistan.

That result means Ahal are eliminated while Pakhtakor meet Al Fayha with both sides needing a victory to enhance their hopes of going into next month’s draw for the last 16.

In the East Asian side of the draw, Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale made it five wins from five Group ‘I’ matches to ease into the knockout stage, defeating Malaysia’s Johor 5-0 at home.

South Korean side Ulsan stay second following a 3-1 victory against BG Pathum United in Thailand. Both BG Pathum United and Johor will exit the competition at the group stage.

In Group ‘G’, Chinese Super Lea­gue club Shandong Taishan went top by dispatching already eliminated Kaya FC of the Philippines 6-1 in Jinan, while Yokohama F Marinos suffered a potentially damaging 2-1 loss against South Korea’s Incheon United.

Incheon and Yokohama each have nine points, with the Korean club second given their superior head-to-head record.

The group stage, which this year returned to a home-and-away format for the first time since early 2020, will conclude in mid-December.

The knockout rounds start in February and the final takes place across two legs in May.

(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Toby Davis)-

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2023