Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Al Hasa: Al Hilal went top of the Saudi Professional League (SPL) standings courtesy of a 2-1 away victory over Al Fateh in their last domestic fixture before travelling to the UAE for the second leg of their 2014 AFC Champions League semi-final clash with Al Ain.
Midfielder Salem Al Dawsari, scorer in both legs of Al Hilal's Round of 16 triumph over Bunyodkor, put the Riyadh giants 1-0 up with just six minutes of Wednesday's SPL Round 6 match played before Doris Fuakuputu, himself a scorer against Bunyodkor as Al Fateh lost 3-2 to the Uzbeks in the Group Stage of this year's ACL, drew the home side level in the 63rd minute.
Al Hilal were gifted the win with six minutes left to play when Rabeaa Sefiani put the ball into his own net before Al Fateh's misery was compounded with the sending off of Abdullah Al Dosari on the stroke of full time.
The victory saw Al Hilal leapfrog over Riyadh rivals Al Nassr at the summit of the SPL standings with 16 points although the two-time Asian Club Championship winners could be replaced at the top by any one of three clubs who have yet to play their Round 6 fixtures.
Both defending champions Al Nassr and two-time ACL winners Al Ittihad will be looking to maintain their 100% starts to the season when they take on Al Oroubah and Al Raed respectively while Al Hilal's Riyadh rivals Al Shabab could capitalise on defeats for the frontrunners if the duo lose and they take all three points at home to Najran, which would see them match the tally of Al Hilal.
But Al Hilal's primary concern now is Tuesday's ACL semi-final second-leg against Al Ain, with Laurențiu Reghecampf's side having one foot in November's final following their 3-0 win over the inaugural ACL champions in the first leg in Riyadh.