Al-Hilal crushes Gwangju 7-0, advances to AFC Champions League semis

Al-Hilal advanced to the AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals with a commanding 7-0 victory over South Korea's Gwangju in Jeddah, underlining their status as tournament favorites. The Saudi Arabian champions, seeking a record-extending fifth continental title, took an early lead through Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and added goals from Marcos Leonardo, Salem Al-Dawsari, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom, Nasser Al-Dawsari, and Abdullah Al-Hamddan. Salem Al-Dawsari, the 2022 Asian Footballer of the Year, was a standout performer, and the team showcased their superiority with a dominant attacking display and solid defense. Al-Hilal, one of three Saudi teams in the competition's last eight, will face either Al-Ahli or Buriram United in the semi-finals, with all remaining matches held in Jeddah. The financial strength and star-studded lineup of Saudi teams, including Al-Hilal, make them strong contenders for the title. Gwangju, appearing in the tournament for the first time, were outclassed throughout the match.