Riyad Mahrez starred for Al Shamal with a sparkling show as the tournament debutants registered a historic 3-1 win against Saudi giants Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League Elite match at Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday.
The victory was the first for the Qatari side after draws in their earlier two matches as they moved up to sixth in the West standings on five points, one behind Al Hilal. Al Hilal, meanwhile, lost in the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time since the tournament was revamped.
There were uncertainties for Al Hilal at the start of the match as head coach Simone Inzaghi’s decision to keep Kalidou Koulibaly, Ollie Watkins and Yassine Bounou on the bench gave Al Shamal the invitation to go on the attack.
It took the home side only eight minutes to slice Al Hilal wide open with incisive passing from their own half that saw Riyad Mahrez relay the ball to Ben Romdhane, who then set up Wesley Said for a low strike that beat Mohammed al-Owais.
Al Hilal looked to respond but had to wait till the 31st minute for the equaliser, Kader Meite held off his marker to release the ball to Salem al-Dawsari, who then sent Theo Hernandez surging up the left flank before arriving into the box to tap in the left-back’s return pass.
Al Shamal missed a great chance to go back in front shortly after when Baghdad Bounedjah lifted the ball over al-Owais but Ali Lajami got the slightest of touches to disrupt Mahrez’s follow-up header which hit the post.
Al Shamal made a blistering start to the second half and restored their lead within three minutes. Tiago Silva flicked a pass to Mahrez on the right and the Algerian wizard picked out Bounedjah at the near post to steer the ball home from close range.
It got even better for the home side with Mahrez, a two-time AFC Champions League Elite winner with Al Ahli Saudi FC, swinging in a pinpoint free-kick to Romdhane at the back post to guide the ball past Al Owais.
Inzaghi sent on Koulibaly, Watkins and Nasser al-Dawsari as the Italian tactician looked to rescue the tie but the best Al Hilal could muster was a Yusuf Akcicek shot that was straight at Babacar Seck as the four-time Asian champions succumbed to their first defeat in the League Stage.