Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Saitama: Matchwinner Rafael Silva claimed his strike that settled the 2017 AFC Champions League Final with two minutes remaining was only a minor part of Urawa Red Diamonds’ second continental title after the 1-0 victory over Al Hilal in the second leg at Saitama Stadium on Saturday ensured a 2-1 aggregate win.
The Saudi side failed to cut out Yuki Muto’s pass and the 25-year-old Brazilian surged into the penalty area before unleashing a vicious shot that screamed past Abdullah Al Mayoof in the Al Hilal goal.
The goal was Silva’s ninth of the competition, just one behind the 2017 AFC Champions League Top Scorer Omar Khribin of Al Hilal, with the former Albirex Niigata forward having also scored in the first leg in Riyadh a week earlier.
“Of course, scoring a goal in a final like this is huge – it’s a wonderful thing,” said Silva, after the match.
“But I feel like I just made a contribution of a few percentage.”
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