Talking points from the week in Asian football:
AL-ITTIHAD TAKE TOP SPOT AS AL-HILAL DRAW WITH DAMAC
Karim Benzema scored five minutes into injury time to earn Al-Ittihad a 2-1 win over Al Taawoun that took the Jeddah-based outfit top of the Saudi Pro League standings as Al-Hilal were held to a 2-2 draw by Damac.
Benzema netted in the fifth minute of added time on Thursday after Al-Ittihad’s Abdulrahman Al-Obud had seen his 21st minute opener cancelled out by Modou Barrow late in the first half.
Al-Ittihad lead Al-Hilal by two points after the champions were held in Abha, with Hamadou Diallo scoring twice to give Damac the lead after Marcos Leonardo’s opener. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic levelled for Al-Hilal 13 minutes from time.
GOODWIN HEADER TAKES ADELAIDE UNITED TO WITHIN TWO OF SUMMIT
Adelaide United moved to within two points of A-League leaders Auckland FC when Archie Goodwin scored the only goal in his side’s 1-0 win over Melbourne City on Friday.
Goodwin headed home seven minutes into the second half at Hindmarsh Stadium to take Carl Veart’s outfit to 31 points, five ahead of third-placed Western United, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Macarthur FC.
Sydney FC scored late goals through Adrian Segecic and Anthony Caceres to draw 3-3 with Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday to move up to fourth.
HIROSHIMA LIFT JAPAN SUPER CUP WITH VICTORY OVER VISSEL KOBE
Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated J-League champions Vissel Kobe 2-0 on Saturday to win the Japan Super Cup in front of a record crowd for the event in Tokyo ahead of the new campaign.
Tolgay Arslan gave Michael Skibbe’s side the lead in front of a crowd of 53,343 in the 12th minute with a header from Shuto Nakano’s cross on the right, the ball crossing the line via the underside of the crossbar.
Hiroshima doubled their lead with 20 minutes remaining through Hayato Araki’s header from Daiki Suga’s corner on the right to earn Hiroshima their fifth Super Cup win and their first since 2016.
TITLE HOLDERS AL-AIN CRASH OUT OF ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Holders Al-Ain slumped out of the Asian Champions League Elite on Monday as the side from the United Arab Emirates lost 2-1 to Qatar’s Al-Rayyan to end their hopes of a place in the last 16 with one round of group games remaining.
