Saudi Al Hilal, led by
Ramón Díaz
, qualified again for the final of the Asian Champions League by beating Qatari Al Duhail, led by
Hernán Crespo
, 7-0, in a match played at the Al Thumama World Cup stadium in Doha.
A brace from Odion Ighalo and a goal from Malian Moussa Marega sealed the semifinal in the first quarter of an hour.
Al-Hilal had no rival.
He commanded how and when he wanted, without giving Al-Duhail any option.
Marega, at 27 minutes, and Salem Al-Dawsari, in the center of the Malian, at 38, increased the lead of the Saudi team before the break, which at the beginning of the month was proclaimed runner-up in the club world after losing in the final against Real Madrid (5-3).
Ramon Diaz and Hernán Crespo, a relationship that began in the days when the man from La Rioja directed the striker at River.
Photo: KARIM JAAFAR / AFP.
The Qatari team demoralized, the match was an absolute open wound for Crespo's men.
Ighalo completed his poker at the beginning of the second period (m.48 and m.62) and sealed the final score.
The score could have been historic but the winners seemed to take their foot off the accelerator during the final half hour.
Al-Hilal, four times Asian champion, will face Japanese Urawa Red Diamonds in the final, who won two titles in 2006 and 2016, winner of the East qualifying zone by beating Korean Jeonbuk (3-2).
Both teams met in the 2019 final. Al-Hilal, then led by the Romanian Razvan Lucescu, prevailed by winning 1-0 in Riyadh and 2-0 in Saitama.
Source: EFE