But what transpired was Al Hilal pulling their weight and scoring four huge goals against Persepolis in the first leg, with Omar Khribin notching a hat-trick.
However, their inspired performance had another fulcrum to it in the form of Saudi Arabian midfielder Salem Al Dawsari. The 26-year-old controlled the game from midfield and ensured Persepolis were penetrated time and time again to bash their hopes before the second leg.
Al Dawsari notched two vital assists, including a fabulous through ball for Khribin in the second half. He had 89 touches of the ball throughout the game, highlighting his influence on the game. He finished with a passing accuracy of 81% and had created four more scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Though he did not score a goal, Al Dawsari’s performance sees him named as Goal ’s Player of the Week.
