Egyptian international Ahmed Hegazy, defender of Al-Ittihad Jeddah, confirmed his team’s ability to qualify for the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League, despite falling to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Classico in the first leg of the quarter-finals, indicating that winning the second leg is not difficult.
The Al Hilal team achieved an important victory over its counterpart, Al-Ittihad Jeddah, with two clean goals during the match that was held at the “Kingdom Arena” stadium, in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the current version of the AFC Champions League 2023-2024.
Hegazy said in television statements after the match: “This was not the best result we were waiting for, but we played away from home and had the return match ahead of us. We performed well in the first half and Al Hilal took advantage of our lack of concentration for two minutes and scored two goals. They also gained an advantage after Kante was sent off.”
Hegazy concluded his statements by saying: “Compensation in Jeddah is not difficult. Our chance still exists and we will fight with our fans in the return leg.”
Ahmed Hegazy – Al-Ittihad player:
We played a good match in the first half, and we missed many chances, but our chance still exists, and we and our fans will fight until the last second.#Al-Hilal_Al-Ittihad#AFC_Champions_League | #SSC pic.twitter.com/O8li46qGSy
— SSC (@ssc_sports) March 5, 2024
Al-Hilal vs Al-Ittihad
The two goals for Al Hilal were scored by Mitrovic in the 40th minute from a penalty kick, and Salem Al Dosari in the 42nd minute of the first half, in the match in which Egyptian international defender Ahmed Hegazy participated from the beginning with his team, Ittihad Jeddah, until the end..
The events of the first half were balanced and equal between the two teams, as both teams exchanged attacks throughout the half, but did not result in any goals until Al Hilal Club got a penalty kick that Mitrovic saved, scoring the lead goal in the 40th minute, and two minutes later Al Dosari scored the second goal, announcing the end of the half with a lead. Al Hilal scored with two clean goals.
The second half was more enthusiastic on the part of the Jeddah Union team in an attempt to achieve a draw, and the players intensified their attacks on Al Hilal’s goal, but the brilliance of Al Hilal’s defense and behind them the goalkeeper prevented the Jeddah Union team from scoring any goals..
The match witnessed the expulsion of the Frenchman Kante, the Ittihad Jeddah midfielder, after a violent intervention with Saud Abdel Hamid, the right-back of Al Hilal, so that the Ittihad Jeddah team completed the match with 10 players.
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