Portuguese international João Cancelo marked his return to play with an assist for Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in a 2-1 AFC Champions League victory, a match that saw a compatriot coach, Pedro Martins, on the losing side.
Cancelo, sidelined for nearly two months due to injury, started for Al Hilal in the crucial Group A fixture. He made an immediate impact, setting up Salem Al Dawsari for the opening goal in the ninth minute.
Al Hilal extended its lead in the 66th minute through Brazilian forward Kaio César.
Martins’ Al Gharafa, based in Qatar, managed a late consolation goal in the 98th minute by Ayoub Al Oui.
Al Hilal maintained its perfect record in the competition, leading Group A with 12 points from four matches. Al Gharafa, conversely, sits ninth with only three points, effectively ending their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.
Cancelo, a defender, was substituted in the 74th minute with his team comfortably ahead. His Portuguese compatriot and Al Hilal captain, Rúben Neves, also started the match.
Elsewhere in the AFC Champions League, another Portuguese coach, Paulo Sousa, experienced a significant defeat. His Shabab Al Ahli team from the United Arab Emirates lost 4-1 to Qatar’s Al Duhail.
Despite the loss, Shabab Al Ahli holds seven points, placing them fifth and securing a spot in the next phase of the competition.