Asian Champions League final: Al Hilal vow to 'fight until the end' to retain crown

Ramon Diaz has promised Al Hilal “will fight until the end” to defend their Asian Champions League title after the holders were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Urawa Red Diamonds in the first leg of the final.

The Saudi Arabian side, the defending champions, took an early lead at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Saturday night through Salem Al Dawsari, but then allowed their Japanese counterparts back into the tie.

Urawa, meeting Hilal in the final for an unprecedented third time, equalised at the beginning of the second half via Shinzo Koroki’s opportune strike.

Unable to regain the lead, Hilal’s hopes were hit further when Al Dawsari was sent off four minutes from time for kicking out at Ken Iwao.

The record four-time champions, who lost to Urawa in the final in 2017 but avenged the defeat in the showpiece two years later, travel to Saitama next week for the return leg on May 6.

Speaking late on Saturday night, Hilal manager Diaz told the gathered media: “We started the match very well - we were good offensively and deservingly scored. But this is the nature of a final and each mistake can make things complicated.

“However, the final isn’t over yet. This final is over two matches, and we will fight until the end.”

Dawsari, one of Hilal’s principal players, delivered on his standing within 13 minutes of the opening leg, when he met Michael’s low cross at the Urawa back post to put the hosts 1-0 up.

The Saudi international, scorer of the winner in his country’s shock victory at the 2022 World Cup against Argentina, will not be available for the second leg, though. The red card on Saturday was Al Dawsari's second in Champions League finals: he was sent off in the 2017 final against Urawa, also.

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