Al-Hilal 2-4 Al Sadd (6-5 agg): Xavi's side fall just short in comeback bid
Al Sadd trailed 5-1 on aggregate at one point but pulled it back to 6-5 and could have nicked a win in the AFC Champions League semi-final.
Al-Hilal survived a miraculous fightback from Al Sadd to book their place in the AFC Champions League final, progressing 6-5 on aggregate despite a 4-2 second-leg defeat on Tuesday.
Having won 4-1 in the first leg, Al-Hilal extended their advantage further at King Saud University Stadium when Salem Al Dawsari converted a cross 13 minutes in.
Al Sadd refused to give up, though, with Akram Afif converting a penalty after being fouled inside the box and Nam Tae-hee rounding off an attack he had initially started to give Xavi's men more than a little hope.
Nam played a key part in the visitors' third goal, rounded off by Hassan Al Haydos, as the score was suddenly 5-4 on aggregate after just 20 minutes of the second leg.
Bafetimbi Gomis appeared to kill off Al Sadd's comeback bid when converting Sebastian Giovinco's cross five minutes later.
It remained that way until the 93rd minute when Boualem Khoukhi headed home a corner, but Al-Hilal held on to progress.
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