DOHA, Qatar — In a thrilling encounter on Tuesday, Al-Hilal played to a 1-1 draw against Al-Sadd of Qatar, solidifying Saudi Arabia’s dominance in the ongoing group stage of the Asian Champions League Elite.

Al-Hilal now finds itself in second place in a competitive 12-team group, with an equal 13 points alongside Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, but trailing behind group leader Al-Ahli by two points. It’s worth noting that all three clubs have already secured their places in the knockout phase, even with three matches left in the group stage.

Despite the absence of star player Neymar due to injury, Al-Hilal struck first in the matchup. Central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi netted a goal from a corner kick just 10 minutes into the game, giving Al-Hilal an early advantage. However, Al-Sadd, who is also vying for their third Asian title, managed to equalize 18 minutes from time through Paulo Otavio.

In the tense closing moments of the match, Al-Hilal requested three penalty calls that underwent video assistant referee (VAR) checks; however, none were awarded, leaving them frustrated.

In other matches from the western zone, UAE’s Al-Wasl secured a 3-1 victory over Iraq’s Al-Shorta, climbing up to fourth place in the standings. On the eastern front, Japan’s Vissel Kobe remained at the top after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Australia’s Central Coast Mariners, who are now struggling at the bottom of the group with just one point from five matches.

Former champions Ulsan HD found themselves at the bottom of the table without any points after suffering a 3-1 defeat at home against Shanghai Port. Meanwhile, it was a positive day for Chinese clubs as Shandong Taishan also secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Malaysia’s Johor.

Additionally, Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale enjoyed a convincing 3-0 win against Thailand’s Buriram United, further highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.