Al-Ain reaches Asian Champions League final by beating Al-Hilal 5-4 on aggregate

1 of 9 |

UAE’s Al Ain’ players celebrate after the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

2 of 9 |

UAE’s Al Ain’ players celebrate after winning the game against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

3 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal’ Salem Al Dawsari, left, shoots the ball at UAE’s Al Ain’ goalkeeper Khalid Eisa during the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

4 of 9 |

UAE’s Al Ain’ player Bandar Al Ahbabi, left, celebrates after the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

5 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal’ Sergej, and UAE’s Al Ain’ Matis Palacios, right, jump for the ball during the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

6 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves, shoots the ball during his team soccer match with UAE’s Al Ain in the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

7 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal’s Michael Delgado, left, fights for the ball with a UAE’s Al Ain player during the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

8 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal fans react during a second leg of the AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match against UAE’s Al Ain at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

9 of 9 |

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal fans support their team during the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match gainst UAE’s Al Ain at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates reached the final of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday after beating Al-Hilal 5-4 on aggregate in the semifinals to end Saudi Arabia’s chances of winning the continental prize.

Four-time champion Al-Hilal, missing injured forwards Neymar and Aleksandar Mitrovic, won 2-1 in Riyadh but was unable to overturn the 4-2 deficit from last week’s first leg.

Al-Hilal is the fourth Saudi Pro League club to be eliminated since the knockout stages began in February.

The second leg started well for Al-Hilal and its capacity crowd at the Kingdom Arena was on its feet after just four minutes.

Ruben Neves, who arrived last summer from English Premier League team Wolverhampton, converted a penalty after Kouame Kouadio brought down Brazilian forward Michael Delgado.

The home fans were silenced just seven minutes later when Al-Ain, the 2003 champion and two-time runner-up, restored its two-goal cushion. Yahia Nader passed to Erik Jorgens on the edge of the area and the Brazilian found the bottom corner with a low shot.

Six minutes after the restart, Salem Al-Dawsari got Al-Hilal back in the tie. The Asian player of the year collected the ball after a weak defensive header and drilled a low shot through a crowd of players into the back of the net.

Juventus' Arkadiusz Milik celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Italian Cup semi-final soccer match between Lazio and Juventus at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Italy, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus requires a late goal to beat Lazio 3-2 on aggregate and reach the Italian Cup final

Arsenal's Kai Havertz, left, scores his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium in London, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Havertz scores 2 as Arsenal routs Chelsea 5-0 to cement Premier League lead

Hundreds of German local state police and federal police practice tactics in preparation for the European Championship in the village of Stützerbach, in Ilmenau, Germany, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Germany hosts the European Championship from June 14 to July 14. Security is a priority with hundreds of thousands of fans expected for the 24-country soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Hundreds of German police subdue ‘hooligans’ in training exercise for Euro 2024

The home players raced back to their positions eyeing the goal that would level the tie. Delgado, alone in the penalty area, then saw his shot hit the legs of goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.

In May, Al-Ain will face the winner of the semifinal in the eastern zone. Ulsan HD of South Korea visits Yokohama F.Marinos on Wednesday with a 1-0 lead from the first leg.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer