AFC Champions League 2017: Carlos Eduardo powers Al Hilal into semifinals

Ashwin Muralidharan

AFC Champions League 2017: Carlos Eduardo powers Al Hilal into semifinals image

The AFC Champions League quarter-final second legs got off to an explosive start on Monday as Al Hilal reached the final four. Let's see what happened in that game: 


AL HILAL 3-0 AL AIN (3-0 on aggregate) [Carlos Eduardo 42', 46', 74'] 


Al Hilal vs Al Ain; Omar Abdulrahman

Al Hilal's Brazilian striker Carlos Eduardo was the star of the show as the Saudi Arabian team put one of the pre-tournament favourites Al Ain to the sword in the AFC Champions League quarter-final and progressed to the semi-finals. The 3-0 result was an emphatic statement by Al Hilal after a goalless draw in the first half. 

After a sedate start to the game, Al Hilal took full control of the game at the end of the first half with Eduardo striking twice in the final five minutes. First, in the 42nd minute, Nicolas Milesi sent in a sumptuous free kick which was headed in expertly by Eduardo. He would go on to add a second in first-half added time after volleying home a dinked pass from Milesi. 

Even post the break, the expected fight back from Al Ain did not materialise and Eduardo went on to seal the result in the 74th minute by running on to Salem Al Dawsari’s pass in behind the Al AIn defence and slotting home. The hat-trick ensured Carlos Eduardo has now drawn level with Al Ain's Omar Abdulrahman and Shanghai SIPG's Hulk as the topscorer of the tournament with seven goals to his name. 

Ashwin Muralidharan