Al Hilal, eight-time AFC Champions League winners, are understandably thought to be one of the competition’s favourites to lift yet another continental trophy this year, especially after the summer acquisition of stars Neymar, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Ruben Neves.
Yet they’ll be left to pick up the pieces after a disappointing 1-1 draw to Uzbekistan club Navbahor Namangan to open Group D.
Al Hilal only just barely earned the single point, too, as Ali Al Boleahi’s equaliser in the 100th minute saved them from a truly embarrassing defeat, using nearly all of the generous 14 minutes of stoppage time they were afforded to turn around the deficit.
Not only did Toma Tabatadze’s 52nd-minute goal nearly give Navbahor a famous result, but it also put Al Hilal under real pressure to survive in the competition.
Unlike its European sister competition, the AFC Champions League only tabs group winners with automatic qualification to the knockout round, while six of the 10 runners-up move on to the round of 16 alongside them.
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