In a historic achievement, Salem Al-Dawsari, the winger for the Al-Hilal football team, secured his place as the all-time leading scorer for the Blue in the AFC Champions League. This milestone was reached after his decisive goal against Iran’s Nassaji Mazandaran during the final group stage match.
Entering the game with 18 goals, tying with retired striker Yasser Al-Qahtani, Salem Al-Dawsari broke the deadlock by finding the net in the 54th minute at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium. This impressive feat took him 87 appearances in the competition, surpassing the previous record holder.
The 32-year-old international winger showcased his scoring prowess in the 2011-2012 season when he first participated in the AFC Champions League. Al-Dawsari reached his goal-scoring peak in the 2021-2022 edition, netting four goals. In the current season, he has added two more goals, with opportunities to contribute further in the knockout stages.
Following Al-Dawsari and Al-Qahtani on the scoring charts is Frenchman Bafétimbi Gomis with 17 goals, considering his three additional goals from the canceled 2020 campaign. Retired star Mohamed Al-Shalhoub ranks fourth with 13 goals, staying ahead of Brazilian Carlos Eduardo by a single goal. This statistical overview is limited to the tournament since its rebranding as the AFC Champions League from the 2002-2003 season onwards.
With the team enjoying a well-deserved break after defeating Nassaji Mazandaran, Al-Hilal will resume training tomorrow in preparation for the upcoming clash against Al-Ta’ee in the 16th round of the Saudi Pro League on Friday. Currently leading the league table with 41 points, Al-Hilal maintains a comfortable seven-point lead over their nearest rivals, Al-Nassr.
In a separate accomplishment, right-back Mohammed Al-Burayk matched his second-best season for assists by providing a goal for his Brazilian teammate Michel Delgado against Nassaji Mazandaran. This contribution brought Al-Burayk’s tally of assists to nine for the ongoing season, equalling his record from the 2018-2019 season, with only two more assists needed to match the 2016-2017 season’s best.
A significant achievement was also secured by Al-Hilal as they recorded five consecutive victories in the group stage of the AFC Champions League. This Saudi club became the first to achieve such a feat in the history of the competition, following a 1-1 draw in the opening match against Navbahor. No other Saudi team has won more than four consecutive matches in the group stage.
In injury news, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was diagnosed with muscle fatigue after being substituted during the match against Nassaji Mazandaran. The medical team assured me that the injury was not alarming and was merely a result of muscle fatigue. Bounou, who maintained a clean sheet before being substituted, will undergo further assessments, and his availability for the upcoming fixtures will be determined.
The verdict from Egyptian referee Mohamed Kamal Risha regarding VAR interventions in the Al-Hilal vs. Nassaji Mazandaran clash was described as “successful.” VAR played a pivotal role in denying a penalty appeal and overturning another in favor of Al-Hilal. Risha praised the technology for correctly determining that the defender’s hand was in a natural position during the first incident, justifying the non-award of the penalty. Regarding the second incident, Risha concurred with the VAR’s decision to overturn the penalty, citing Salih Al-Shahrani’s contact with the defender Ehsan Hajsafi.
