The Asian Champions League Elite tournament kicked off with a bang, as Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Hilal secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Qatari club Al-Rayyan. Newly signed Portuguese international Joao Cancelo wasted no time in making his mark, scoring his first goal for the club just before halftime.
Cancelo’s arrival at Al-Hilal has been a major talking point in the football world, and his performance on Tuesday certainly lived up to the hype. He wasn’t the only one to shine for Al-Hilal, as Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic opened the scoring earlier in the match. Cancelo then went on to assist Marcos Leonardo for the third goal before the break, showcasing his versatility and impact on the game.
While Roger Guedes managed to pull one back for Al-Rayyan early in the second half, Al-Hilal remained in control. In fact, they came incredibly close to scoring again when Aleksandar Mitrovic missed a penalty.
Al-Hilal’s Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, drew 1-1 with Al-Shorta of Iraq on Monday. Ronaldo, however, missed the game due to a viral infection.
This year’s revamped tournament sees 24 teams divided into two groups of 12, separated by geographic zones (East and West). Each team will play eight games, with the top eight teams from each group advancing to the round of 16.
The East saw a flurry of goals as South Korean debutant Gwangju FC thrashed Yokohama F.Marinos 7-3. The Japanese team, who reached the final in May, suffered a heavy defeat. Chinese teams also enjoyed a strong start, with Shandong Taishan beating Central Coast Mariners of Australia 3-1, and Shanghai Port securing a 4-1 win over South Korea’s Pohang Steelers. Japan’s Vissel Kobe and Thailand’s Buriram United played out a goalless draw.
The Asian Champions League Elite tournament has gotten off to a thrilling start, with many more exciting matches to come as teams fight for continental glory.
