Page 45 - Ministry of Sports PR Report - October 2024

i
10/23/24, 9:56 AM Min stry of Sports leads ‘Future of Sports Retreat’
On Monday, Hilal took the lead on 26 minutes, when former New castle United and Ful ham
striker Aleksandar Mitro vic played in Lodi down the let, and the ex-atletico Mad rid full-back
drilled a low shot past Khalid Essa in the Al Ain goal.
However, Hernan Crespo’s side drew level six minutes before half-time, Morocco inter na -

tional Sou ane Rahimi slid ing home a cross.
Rahimi was the star of Al Ain’s Asian Cham pi ons League suc cess last sea son, n ish ing top
scorer and named player of the tour na ment.

In rst-half stop page-time, Hilal seemed to take the con test away from their UAE rivals.
First, Joao Can celo, a sum mer sign ing from Manchester City, crossed for Milinkovic-savic to
head home unmarked from six years. Moments later, reign ing Asian Player of the Year Al
Dawsari raced cleared of the Al Ain defence, skipped around the onrush ing Essa and curled
home superbly on the angle.

Al Ain reduced the de cit just ater the hour, through sub sti tute Mateo San ab ria, only for Al
Dawsari to ick home his second of the night from a Milinkovic-savic centre.
Minutes later, Rahimi notched his double as a see-saw clash took another swing. Al Dawsari

then restored Hilal’s two-goal advant age with a sub lime strike from range.
Notlong into12minutesoftheal loted in jury-time, and with Hilal reduced to 10 men ater
defender Ali Al Bulaihi was sent o for an inten tional hand ball, Rahimi won and con ver ted a
pen alty to secure his hat-trick and give Al Ain hope, but the Saudi cham pi ons hung on to
claim the win.

Ney mar had litle time to truly impact the game, although he did ash wide an e ort in the
dying moments of nor mal time.
Hilal sit top of the West ern region group, with three vic tor ies from three while Al Ain have

picked up a sol it ary point.
Mean while, UAE’S Shar jah secured their second win in Group C of the AFC Cham pi ons League
Two ater defeat ing Foolad Mobarakeh Sep a han FC of Iran 3-1 on Tues day.
The win keeps Shar jah’s unbeaten run going, tak ing them up to seven points — four beter
than Sep a han who su ered their second defeat.

Shar jah star ted on the front foot with Guil herme Biro warm ing the gloves of Payam Niazmand
with a power ful strike in the sev enth minute ater Steven Nzonzi lost pos ses sion at the edge of
his pen alty box.

The six-time UAE League cham pi ons took con trol of the game and found the break through in
the 26th minute when Khaled Ald han hani surged down the right before send ing a low cross
which bypassed Tyr one Con raad but found Ous mane Camara who ri ed his shot into the roof
of the net.
Sep a han gradu ally grew into the game and shaded pos ses sion towards the end of the rst half

with Mohammad Karimi and Bryan Dabo con trolling the middle of the pitch but were let down
in the nal third with Shar jah cus todian Adel Alhosani unchal lenged.
Sep a han were more incis ive ater the break and drew level in the 51st minute when Mehdi

Mohebi got past David Pet ro vic before lay ing the ball for Mehdi Limou chi for a tap-in.

https://www.pressreader.com/bahrain/gulf-today/20241023/281964613198011 2/3