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Firmino, Toney fire Al Ahli into AFC Champions League final / Photo: © AFP
Firmino, Toney fire Al Ahli into AFC Champions League final
Roberto Firmino and Ivan Toney helped fire Al Ahli into the final of the AFC Champions League Elite with a fiery 3-1 victory against fellow Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal on Tuesday.
The Jeddah club, effectively playing at home as the tournament’s latter stages take place in the port city, will now face either Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr or Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday for the continent’s premier club trophy.
Al Ahli got off to an ideal start at King Abdullah Sports Stadium when, on nine minutes, Brazilian winger Galeno raced to the byline and cut back the ball for compatriot Firmino to finish emphatically.
The former Liverpool forward, the Al Ahli captain despite not being registered in their Saudi Pro League squad, took his tally for the tournament to six goals.
Al Ahli went 2-0 up just before the half hour, Riyad Mahrez putting Toney through on goal with a defence-splitting pass to leave the Englishman to round goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and roll into the net.
Toney, a summer signing from English Premier League club Brentford, moved alongside Firmino in the scoring charts. Former Manchester City winger Mahrez, meanwhile, leads the tournament in assists, with eight.
Record four-time Asian champions Al Hilal halved the deficit three minutes before half time, when captain Salem Al Dawsari pounced on an inadvertent touch from Al Ahli midfielder Franck Kessie to slam home his 10th goal of the campaign. Al Dawsari now leads the scoring charts by one.
A frantic second-half ensued, with Toney having two goals ruled out for offside and Firmino and Galeno hitting the post, while Al Hilal were reduced to 10 men right before the hour after ex-Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly deservedly received a second yellow card.
Kessie then saw his 85th-minute penalty saved by Bounou after Mahrez had been felled in the area, before substitute Feras Al Buraikan sealed the result deep into injury time moments after being introduced.
Runners-up in 2012, their only other final appearance, Al Ahli remain the only unbeaten side in this season’s competition.
Al Nassr and Frontale meet in the other semi-final on Wednesday, also at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, with an all-Saudi final still possible.
O. Henrique--JDB
