RIYADH: It was a double success on Saturday for Saudi football clubs after Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal reached the AFC Champions League semifinals with impressive victories.
Al-Nassr thrashed UAE’s Al-Wahda FSCC 5-1 at the King Saud University Stadium in their quarterfinal, while Al-Hilal cruised to victory with a 3-0 win over Iran’s Persepolis.
Al-Nassr were relentless from the first minute and the Emirati club had no answers to a brace from Jaloliddin Masharipov and goals apiece for Abderazak Hamdallah, Abdulfattah Asiri and Sami Al-Najei.
Saudi national team stalwart Salem Al-Dawsari opened the scoring for Al-Hilal in Tehran and two strikes from superstar striker Bafetimbi Gomis made sure there would be an all-Saudi showdown in the Western half of the draw on Oct. 19.