Riyadh
Al Hilal secured a resounding 6-0 victory over Mumbai City FC in a Group D match of the AFC Champions League 2023/24 at the King Fahd International Stadium. Aleksander Mitrovic, who scored a hat-trick, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, both Serbian players, were the stars of the game. Mohamed Al Burayk and Saud Abdulhamid played crucial roles in creating the first four goals, showcasing an impressive performance for the two-time AFC Champions League winners. Against the flow of the game, Mumbai City had an opportunity when Lalengmawia Ralte broke through the defense and attempted a shot from inside the area, but Mohamed Al Owais made a comfortable save. Just before half-time, Mitrovic attempted an audacious strike from 60 yards out, but the Mumbai City keeper quickly tracked the ball. In the second half, Al Hilal had multiple chances, but Mitrovic, Kanno, Malcolm, and Al Dawsari all missed opportunities until the one-hour mark. Mumbai City had a great chance to equalize when Rostyn Griffiths narrowly missed a header from Greg Stewart’s free-kick. In the 67th minute, Al Burayk and Mitrovic combined once more, with Mitrovic heading home another cross from the left flank by Al Burayk. Eight minutes later, Milinkovic-Savic scored on his AFC Champions League debut, rising highest to meet Saud Abdulhamid’s cross from the right flank. At the 80-minute mark, Mitrovic completed his hat-trick with an incredible overhead kick, making it 4-0. Two minutes later, Mitrovic assisted Al Burayk, who confidently scored Al Hilal’s fifth goal of the night inside the area. Abdulelah Al Malki sealed the victory with a superb strike from outside the area, hitting the post and finding the net to match Al Hilal’s impressive second-half performance. Mumbai City FC will host Al Hilal in two weeks at the DY Patil Stadium, with their chances of progressing to the knockout rounds already slim.
