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Neymar Returns After Year Out as Al Hilal Edge Al Ain 5–4 in Nine-Goal Thriller
Neymar made his emotional return from a 369-day anterior cruciate ligament injury layoff as Salem Al-Dawsari's sensational hat-trick fired 10-man Al Hilal to a pulsating 5–4 AFC Champions League Elite victory over defending champions Al Ain.
Brazilian superstar Neymar made his eagerly anticipated return to competitive football on Monday evening, stepping onto the pitch for the first time in 369 days as Saudi champions Al Hilal edged defending continental champions Al Ain 5–4 in a breathtaking AFC Champions League Elite encounter at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
The 32-year-old forward had been sidelined since rupturing his left anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus while representing Brazil against Uruguay in October 2023. Introduced in the 77th minute by manager Jorge Jesus in place of Nasser Al-Dawsari, Neymar received a roaring ovation and immediately troubled the Emirati defence, almost finding the back of the net with a low left-footed drive that shaved the far post.
The high-stakes contest lived up to its heavyweight billing from the outset. Renan Lodi handed Al Hilal the lead with a crisp 26th-minute strike, only for Morocco international Soufiane Rahimi to draw Al Ain level before the interval. The Saudi outfit took control in first-half stoppage time courtesy of headers from Sergej Milinković-Savić and captain Salem Al-Dawsari.
A frantic second half saw Mateo Sanabria pull one back for Hernán Crespo’s side, but Al-Dawsari took centre stage, completing a brilliant hat-trick with finishes in the 65th and 75th minutes. Al Hilal were reduced to ten men in the 82nd minute when central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi received a straight red card for handling the ball outside the penalty box, allowing Rahimi to cap his own remarkable treble with two late strikes, including a stoppage-time penalty. Nevertheless, Al Hilal held on firmly through 16 minutes of additional time to maintain their 100 percent winning record at the top of the group stage table.
Sources: AFC, Reuters, AP News, beIN Sports.
Football · Daily · Al Hilal · Neymar · AFC Champions League
Competition: AFC Champions League Elite