Al-Wasl vs Al-Hilal: AFC Champions League Elite Clash

Al-Wasl and Al-Hilal faced off at Zabeel Stadion in the final round of the AFC Champions League Elite league stage on Tuesday. Both teams had already secured qualification for the knockout round but aimed to finish the league stage on a high note.

Al-Wasl, sitting in seventh place in the UAE Pro League, had secured their qualification for the round of 16 by winning three and drawing two of their opening five games. They were looking to put up a strong showing against a dominant Al-Hilal side.

Al-Hilal, on the other hand, came into the match after defeating Iranian side Persepolis 4-1 in their last Champions League appearance, maintaining their top position in the table. They were aiming to finish the league stage unbeaten and continue their impressive run in the competition.

Match Summary

In their recent match on December 4th, Al Hilal secured top spot in the western league standings in the AFC Champions League Elite, defeating Al Wasl 2-0 in Dubai. Marcos Leonardo scored the opening goal in the 13th minute, and Salem Al Dawsari added the second four minutes into the second half. This victory allowed Al-Hilal to maintain their unbeaten record in the 2024-25 competition.

The result meant Al-Hilal finished top of their group and would face Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor in the last 16, while Al Wasl were to take on Qatar’s Al Sadd in the next round.

Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

The game marked only the second meeting between the two sides, with the first occurring in 1989, where Al-Wasl won 1-0.

Al-Wasl have conceded fewer goals than all but three other teams in their domestic league.

Al-Hilal have a strong offensive record in their domestic league, having scored 60 goals in just 20 games.

Al-Wasl have managed only eight goals in seven AFC Champions League Elite games.

Al-Hilal boast the best offensive record and the joint-second best defensive record in the continental competition, with 24 goals scored and just seven conceded.

Pre-Match Analysis

Ahead of the match, Al-Wasl were considered underdogs and needed to be at their best to secure a point against the unbeaten Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal were confident of getting a positive result in the United Arab Emirates, boosted by their superior offensive and defensive statistics.

Prediction and Betting Tips (Pre-Match)

The predicted scoreline was Al-Wasl 1-3 Al-Hilal.

Betting tips included:

• Result: Al-Hilal to win
• Goals – Over/under 2.5: Over 2.5 goals (Seven of Al-Hilal’s last eight games had produced more than 2.5 goals)
• Both teams to score: Yes (Both teams had scored in five of Al-Hilal’s last six games)