Al Hilal and Shabab Al Ahli draw: Inzaghi and Souza's statements in the AFC Champions League
Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, manager of Al-Hilal, expressed his satisfaction with the draw his team achieved against their hosts, Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE, in the AFC Champions League. He emphasized that securing a point from a difficult away match against a tough opponent was a positive result given the circumstances surrounding the game, and expressed his optimism about the team's future in the continental tournament.
The scenario of the two halves and the technical rotation
In the post-match press conference, which was broadcast on the AFC's official website, Inzaghi provided a technical analysis of the game, explaining that it was divided into two completely different phases. He said, "The match had two distinct halves; Al Ahli dominated the first half, applying intense pressure, while we regained our composure in the second half and delivered a much better performance, successfully closing down spaces and playing at a very high level.".
The Al-Hilal coach pointed to his strategy of resting some of the team's key players, justifying this by the pressure of the matches and the players' need for recovery, saying: "The match witnessed the participation of new players who were present on the field after we rested influential players such as Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Malcom, as they deserved to rest to avoid fatigue and injuries.".
Qualification and top spot calculations
Inzaghi addressed the complex calculations within the group, emphasizing that the battle for first place remains open. He explained, "We are awaiting the result of the Tractor-Al Sadd match; if Tractor wins, we will only need one point to secure first place. I don't like to say we didn't strive for victory, but we faced a good and well-organized team led by a distinguished coach whom I know very well. It was a tough and beneficial match for both sides, despite the limited scoring opportunities.".
Continental competition context
This match comes amidst the fierce rivalry between Saudi and Emirati clubs in Asian championships, with clashes between Al-Hilal and Shabab Al-Ahli always considered among the pinnacles of Gulf football. Al-Hilal, the record holder for the most Asian titles, seeks to reaffirm its continental dominance in this edition of the tournament, while Shabab Al-Ahli aims to solidify its place among Asia's elite.
Al Ahli youth are proud of their performance
For his part, Al Ahli coach Paulo Sousa expressed mixed feelings of pride and regret. He lamented the missed opportunities, saying, "We created clear-cut chances in the first half, and if we had capitalized on them, the entire course of the match would have been different. In the second half, we also had opportunities to take the lead, but we failed to convert them into goals." Sousa attributed the drop in performance in the final minutes to fatigue and Al Hilal's substitutions, which affected his team's rhythm.
Souza concluded his remarks by praising his players and their ability to compete with the big teams, pointing to their previous victory over Al-Ittihad and their current draw with Al-Hilal as evidence of the team's progress: "I am proud of what my team has achieved, especially after the victory over the Saudi Professional League champions, Al-Ittihad, and securing a point against Al-Hilal. I consider today's result positive, and I feel very proud when I see the players competing against opponents of this high caliber.".
With this result, the fate of qualification and the group standings remains undecided until the final whistle of the last round, as fans await a crucial match for the Dubai representative team next week against the defending champion, Al-Ahli Saudi, in a match that will determine the features of the round of 16.
