Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a stunning overhead kick to conclude his hat-trick as Al Hilal cast aside Mumbai City 6-0 in the Asian Champions League – even getting the seal of approval from injured teammate Neymar.
The former Fulham striker opened the scoring on five minutes at the King Fahd International Stadium on Monday night, before doubling his team’s advantage not long after the hour mark.
That opened the floodgates for Hilal, the record four-time Asian champions, as Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Mitrovic again, Mohammed Al Burayk and Abdulelah Al Malki completed the scoring.
However, it was Mitrovic’s third that stole the show. On 75 minutes, the Serbian international met Saud Abdulhamid’s floated cross to finish past goalkeeper Phurba Tempa-Lachenpa with a stunning overhead kick.
Watching the match remotely having last week sustained a serious injury while on international duty with Brazil, Neymar posted a message on social media directed at Mitrovic saying: “Golazo”.
The Brazilian, signed only this summer, also praised Hilal for an “amazing game”.
The hat-trick took Mitrovic’s tally to 11 goals in 12 matches since joining in August.
"The match had a lot of quality,” Hilal manager Jorge Jesus said. “We scored six goals, which reflects what we did today. The result was big, which reflects the individual quality of the players.
"In the last 30 minutes, the technical difference between the two teams was very clear. What makes this group stronger is that we have different choices in all positions."
Mumbai counterpart Des Buckingham said of the defeat: "We couldn't stop Al Hilal after the second goal as they have quality players and we have yet to reach full fitness as the local league is only three matches old.
"In general, I was satisfied with the team's performance until the second goal. We must work to perform at the same level we showed in the first half.”
With the win, Hilal move the top of Group D, ahead of Uzbekistan's Navbahor on goal difference. Mumbai, who host the Saudi Arabian club next on November 6, remain bottom having lost all three matches.
Meanwhile, Saudi champions Al Ittihad needed an injury-time goal from Abderrazak Hamedallah to eke out a 1-0 win against Iraq’s Air Force Club in Jeddah. The victory ensured Ittihad stay top of Group C, two points above Iran's Sepahan.
In the UAE, Sharjah went one point clear at the top of Group B after Caio Lucas gave the hosts a narrow win against Uzbekistan side Nasaf.
The Brazilian netted the game’s only goal deep into first-half stoppage time. Cosmin Olariou’s men had to hang on at the end, though, when Majed Hassan was sent off in injury time for a second bookable offence.
There was then late, late drama, with Adel Al Hosani saving Azizbek Amonov's penalty in the 14th minute of the additional time.
The 10 group winners advance to the knockout stages, with the three best runners-up from the east and west of the continent making up the remainder of the last 16.
