In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Al Ain’s star striker Soufiane Rahimi delivered a stunning hat trick to propel his team to a 4-2 victory over Saudi giants Al Hilal in the first leg of their AFC Champions League semifinal on Wednesday night.
Rahimi’s exceptional performance saw him score all three goals in the first half, effectively ending Al Hilal’s world-record breaking run of 34 consecutive wins. Speaking after the match, Rahimi expressed his confidence heading into the second leg and his commitment to preparation and consistency.
“I will prepare for the second leg as I do for all matches, mentally and physically. I prepare the same way for all matches, and I will not change that,” stated Rahimi, who leads the AFC Champions League goals chart with 11 goals. He expressed pride in his performance against a formidable opponent like Al Hilal and emphasized the importance of delivering in big matches.
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Al Hilal, the four-time Asian champions, faced a formidable challenge from the onset, with Rahimi opening the scoring just six minutes into the game. Despite Al Hilal’s efforts to reduce the deficit, Rahimi’s second and third goals from penalty kicks secured Al Ain’s commanding lead.
While Al Hilal managed to pull back with two goals, Al Ain’s overall performance earned praise from head coach Hernan Crespo, who emphasized the need to remain competitive and focused for the upcoming match in Riyadh.
On the other side, Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus acknowledged the unexpected outcome and emphasized the need for analysis and improvement ahead of the next match.
With Al Ain’s victory and South Korea’s Ulsan claiming a 1-0 win over Japan’s Yokohama F-Marinos in their semifinal, the AFC Champions League semifinals promise an intense and thrilling conclusion.
