Al-Hilal down Al-Gharafa to stay perfect in Asian Champions League

Al-Hilal secured a 2-1 win over Qatar's Al-Gharafa in Doha on Monday as the Saudi Pro League side continued their perfect start to the western league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite.

A ninth-minute header from Salem Al-Dawsari sent Simone Inzaghi's side on their way to victory, the Al-Hilal captain nodding in Joao Cancelo's clipped centre from the right byline.

Kaio Cesar doubled the visitors' lead in the 66th minute when he beat Khalifa Ababacar from distance while Ayoub Al-Ouwi's 97th minute strike was not enough to stop Al-Hilal notching up a fourth victory in a row.

The win takes Al-Hilal to 12 points, two clear of second-placed Al-Wahda from the United Arab Emirates in the 12-team standings. The top eight finishers in the league phase advance to March's knockout rounds.

Qatar's Al-Duhail claimed their first victory in the competition with a 4-1 thrashing of Paulo Sousa's previously unbeaten Shabab Al-Ahli with Edmilson Junior setting his side up for victory with a superb early strike.

The Belgium-born Qatar international burst down the left before cutting inside to bend a right-footed strike into the top corner with two minutes on the clock.

Benjamin Bourigeaud thumped home a second from 25 yards six minutes before the interval although Breno Cascardo's header halved the deficit three minutes later.

But an emphatic 57th minute strike by Adil Boulbina restored Al-Duhail's two-goal cushion and Luis Alberto sealed the win two minutes into added time.

"This is our first win in the Asian Champions League and all of the team played very well," said Edmilson Junior.

"When we play like that we are a good team and we need to keep going in this way."

Al-Wahda needed an 89th minute header from substitute Caio Canedo to pick