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Al Hilal scrape into final

The Saudi Arabian club went ahead inside the very first minute as Mohammed Alshalhoub’s incisive pass dissected the Zilina central defence, allowing Swede Christian Wilhelmsson to nip in and lob expertly over goalkeeper Martin Krnac for a 1-0 lead.

They really should have doubled their advantage four minutes later, when Abdulaziz Aldawsari’s left-wing cross picked out an unmarked Ahmed Alfraidi.

But, with seemingly only Krnac to beat, he dallied in possession – thus giving the retreating rearguard sufficient time to get back and heighten his indecision – and an audacious chip was eventually fended off by the Slovaks’ shot-stopper.

Another chance fell to Gabriel Calderon’s men midway through the first half, with Alfraidi laying the ball off for Abdulaziz Aldawsari down the inside left channel. He duly cut back infield to open up a sight at goal, yet his poor effort lacked sufficient power to trouble Krnac low down at his near post.

Zilina’s first attempt of any substance arrived moments later; Patrik Mraz’s 30-yard free-kick being comfortably claimed by Abdullah Alsdairy in the centre of his goal.

That though was a rare moment of attacking intent from Pavel Hapal’s side in the opening 45 minutes and Al Hilal were guilty of spurning another gilt-edged opportunity thereafter.

Wilhelmsson released Alfraidi inside the 18-yard box and he jinked past Ofori Prince, only to drag woefully wide from eight yards out with Krnac’s goal at his mercy.

Zilina then almost undeservedly drew level as Adam Zilak’s centre was inadvertently directed goalwards by Abdullah Aldawsari’s outstretched boot, yet Alsdairy was alive to the danger and spared his team-mate’s blushes.

Al Hilal nonetheless ended the opening period how they begun it. Abdulaziz Aldawsari came close to conjuring up the goal of the tournament just prior to the half-time whistle. Picking up possession on the halfway line, he jinked his way past a couple of half-hearted challenges before unleashing a rising drive that Krnac could only parry up into the air.

Captain Saeed Alqahtani got to the rebound first, though could only nod off target with an empty net gaping in front of him.

Al Hilal survived a scare almost immediately after the resumption with Zilak picking out Ivan Lietava, yet his looping header was cleared off the line by Osama Hawsawi.

They nonetheless went further in front after 53 minutes as good work by Alfraidi was capped off by a Wilhelmsson delivery to Alqahtani, who applied the finishing touch with a diving header.

No sooner had Al Hilal established a two-goal cushion than it was halved as, barely seconds later, substitute Ondrej Sourek unleashed an unstoppable volley that left replacement custodian Fahad Alshammari grasping at thin air.

Zilina pushed for an equaliser from thereon in, with Pavol Poliacek and sub Robert Jez both testing Alshammari either side of a saved Wilhelmsson shot, albeit they just couldn’t muster a leveller late on.

Al Hilal: Abdullah Mohammed S Alsdairy, Abdullah Mubarak A Aldawsari, Osama Abdulrzag M Hawsawi, Mirel Matei Rodoi, Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson, Mohammed Bandar S Alshalhoub, Abdulaziz Saeeed M Aldawsari, Shafi Hathal S Aldossari, Ahmed Mohammed N Alfraidi, Mohammad Saleh H Alnakhli, Yasser Saeed N Alqahtani. Substitutes: Khaled Aziz A Althaker, Waleed Khalid S Algizani, Eysa Mohammad H Almahyani, Fahad Naif A Alshammari, Majed Ahmed A Almarshadi, Yahya Ali S Kaabi.

MSK Zilina: Martin Krnac, Stanislav Angelovic, Mario Pecalka, Adam Zilak, Lubomir Guldan, Patrik Mraz, Tomas Majtan, Pavol Poliacek, Ofori Prince, Ivan Lietava, Roman Gergel. Substitutes: Vladimir Leitner, Robert Jez, Robert Pich, Momodou Ceesay, Michal Skvarka, Ondrej Sourek, Martin Dubravka, Matej Rakovan, Michal Janec, Zdenko Strba.

alex@khaleejtimes.com