Al Hilal seal Asian Champions League semi-final spot, set world record for consecutive wins

Al Hilal secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League by defeating Al Ittihad 2-0 in Jeddah. This victory not only sealed a 4-0 aggregate win but also marked their 28th consecutive victory in all competitions, setting a new world record.

Yasser Al-Shahrani scored in the 61st minute, and Malcom added a second goal in added time, securing a victory for Al Hilal. The team's goalkeeper, Mohammed Al-Owais, frustrated Al Ittihad's attempts to overcome a 2-0 first-leg deficit.

As a result, Al Hilal, who have won the title four times, will face Al Ain in the semi-finals next month. Al Ain eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in a penalty shootout.

This win for Al Hilal broke the previous record of 27 consecutive wins held by Welsh club The New Saints in the 2016-2017 season. The previous record, set by Ajax Amsterdam, stood for 44 years with a 26-game winning streak between 1971 and 1972.

Manager Jorge Jesus expressed his delight at achieving this historic feat but emphasized that trophies matter more than records.

Al Ittihad faced an early setback when their midfield, already missing N'golo Kante due to suspension, was further weakened by an injury to former Liverpool player Fabinho in the 15th minute.

Despite their efforts, Al Ittihad failed to make significant progress against Al Hilal's first-leg lead. Al-Owais made crucial saves, denying Romarinho and Marwan Al-Sahafi. Ahmed Al Ghamdi also attempted a long-range shot, but Al-Owais once again proved equal to the task.

Ahmed Al Ghamdi attempted a long-range shot eight minutes into the second half, but Al-Owais made a diving save to push the ball away.

Al Hilal finally broke the deadlock just after the hour mark when Salem Al-Dawsari passed to Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the penalty area. The former Lazio midfielder then set up Al-Shahrani, who calmly slotted the ball past Abdullah Al-Muaiouf in his 400th game for the club.

Tempers flared in the closing moments, with Al Ittihad’s Abderrazzaq Hamadallah receiving a red card after a clash with defender Ali Al-Bulayhi. Shortly after, Aleksandar Mitrovic assisted Brazilian forward Malcom to score the second goal in the closing seconds.

Al Hilal remains unbeaten this season and is currently 12 points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League. They have also advanced to the semi-finals of the King’s Cup and the Champions League. Their world record streak began on September 25th.

In the eastern half of the draw, Ulsan Hyundai secured their spot in next month’s semi-finals by defeating Jeonbuk Motors 1-0, thanks to Seol Young-woo's first-half volley on Tuesday, leading to a 2-1 aggregate victory over their fellow South Koreans.

Hong Myung-bo's team will face either Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos or China’s Shandong Taishan in the next round. The two teams are set to meet in the second leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.

Harry Kewell’s Marinos team will carry a 2-1 lead into the game at Yokohama International Stadium.