JEDDAH: Al Hilal SFC were at their best as they cruised to a 7-0 victory over Gwangju FC in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals Jeddah 2025 at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

Goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Leonardo and Salem Al Dawsari gave the four-time champions a healthy lead heading into the break before Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom, Nasser Al Dawsari and Abdullah Al Hamddan sealed the emphatic victory to set up a semi-final encounter with the winners of Saturday’s Al Ahli Saudi FC-Buriram United quarter-final.

A fast start by the side from Saudi Arabia led to Gwangju conceding a corner in the fifth minute after Joao Cancelo’s cross into a packed six-yard-box was cleared to safety but only briefly.

The ensuing corner saw Milinkovic-Savic rise highest to nod Al Dawsari’s delivery past the flailing hands of Gwangju keeper Kim Kyeong-min.

South Korea’s Gwangju had a chance to draw level in the ninth minute when Reis sent Jasir Asani through on goal but Al Hilal keeper Yassine Bounou was quick to block the Albanian’s low shot.

Al Hilal’s high pressing approach kept causing problems with custodian Kim keeping them in the game when he denied Al Dawsari’s stinging shot, which was followed by Mitrovic’s headed attempt from close range and Milinkovic-Savic’s effort from distance.

Gwangju were, however, caught napping in the 25th minute after Malcom’s run down the right flank was left unchallenged, allowing the Brazilian to cut the ball back to Leonardo to home into the bottom right corner.

Al Hilal showed their quality again in the 33rd minute with Leonardo finding Al Dawsari, who surged into the area from the left flank before slotting home the third goal.

Gwangju started the second half on the front foot but Al Hilal took the sting out of their attacks in the 55th minute when Milinkovic-Savic’s cross found the unmarked Mitrovic inside the box, with the forward coolly slotting home.

Al Hilal remained relentless, adding their fifth in the 79th minute after Malcolm latched onto Mitrovic’s through pass before shooting pass Lee with Nasser Al Dawsari finishing off Mohamed Kanno’s pass for their sixth in the 84th minute

Al Hamddan then made it 7-0 three minutes later from above the box to complete the emphatic win.

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