Al Ahli's hopes of progressing from the group stage were ended last night when a goal two minutes into stoppage time from the Korean, Lee Young Pyo, gave Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia a 3-2 win at the Rashid Stadium.
Lee was quick to score from a sliding effort after the Brazilian Thiago Neves had sent a through pass into the box.
It was in contrast to last week's game when Hosny Abd Rabo, the Egypt international, scored an equaliser for Ahli from a free kick in added time for a 1-1 draw in Saudi Arabia.
It looked like a similar heart-breaking story for the Saudi side until Lee's late goal.
Yasser al Qahtani had put them in front with a ninth-minute header and the Swede Christian Wilhelmsson doubled the lead six minutes later with Neves setting up both goals.
He sent a cross for the Saudi international to get in between Ali Abbas and Saad Suroor to score, while Wilhelmsson exchanged passes before drilling the ball past a hapless Yousil al Zaabi from inside the box.
Ahmed Khalil cut down the visitor's early two-goal lead with a 42nd minute strike. Salem Khamis set Madanchi up on the right flank and the Iranian's neat pass into the box allowed Khalil to tap on to the far corner of the net. The Brazilian, Celderson Cezar, scored the equaliser in the 66th minute.
Hilal enjoyed some good fortune with Khalil's free-kick crashing against the crossbar in the 74th minute as Ahli pressed for a winner.
The win took Hilal clear on top of the Group C on 10 points. The Qatari champions, Al Sadd, and Mes Kerman of Iran are on six each - Mes Kerman were 3-1 victors last night - with Ahli on one.
apassela@thenational.ae
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETerra%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hussam%20Zammar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mobility%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%20funding%20of%20%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
