Video: after two red cards and fierce clashes, Al-Hilal begin their Asian campaign with a thrilling win over Al-Gharafa | Goal.com
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia edged their Qatari guests Al-Gharafa 2-1 tonight at Kingdom Arena, in the opening round of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Ruben Neves put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot deep into first-half stoppage time, in the 45+3rd minute.
Al-Gharafa pushed for an equaliser after the break, but Al-Hilal carried the greater threat and spurned a string of clear openings.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic doubled the lead in the 73rd minute, meeting a Neves cross with a fine header.
Alaeddine Hassan pulled one back in the second minute of stoppage time, a superb strike from outside the box that beat Yassine Bounou.
The win hands Al-Hilal their first 3 points and lifts them to third in the AFC Champions League Elite standings. Al-Gharafa stay pointless in 14th.
Trouble flared in the 23rd minute, when Al-Hilal's Crysencio Summerville clashed with Ismael Bennacer, making his debut in an Al-Gharafa shirt.
It kicked off when Summerville grabbed Al-Gharafa's Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi by the shirt and shoved him hard, knocking him to the ground off the pitch.
As players rushed to intervene, Bennacer yanked the Al-Hilal man forcefully by the head, and violent clashes erupted between the two sides.
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The referee brandished a straight red to Summerville, then returned once things had calmed to show Bennacer the same.
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