Al Hilal's remarkable streak of 34 consecutive wins was halted as they suffered a 4-2 defeat against Al Ain in the first leg of the Asian Champions League semifinal. The Saudi Pro League leaders faced a tough challenge from the hosts, with Soufiane Rahimi's first-half hat trick propelling Al Ain towards a potential spot in the final.
The match, which was delayed by 24 hours due to flooding in the UAE, saw Rahimi open the scoring early on with a precise finish past Al Hilal's goalkeeper. He then doubled the lead from the penalty spot after being fouled in the box. Another penalty awarded to Al Ain following a VAR review allowed Rahimi to complete his hat trick before halftime.
Al Hilal managed to pull one back early in the second half through striker Malcom, but Al Ain extended their lead with another penalty converted by Kaku. Despite a late goal from Al Hilal's Salem Al-Dawsari, Al Ain held on to secure a commanding victory.
The winner of this semifinal will face either Ulsan Hyundai or Yokohama F Marinos in the final. Ulsan currently holds a 1-0 advantage after the first leg, setting up an intriguing second leg clash in Japan next week. The final is scheduled to take place in May, with the first leg in East Asia and the return fixture in the Western region of the confederation.
