Qarshi (Uzbekistan), September 29 (QNA) - Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal sealed a dramatic 3-2 win over Uzbekistan's PFC Nasaf at Markaziy Stadium in Qarshi on Monday to maintain their perfect start to the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26.

The Brazilian netted deep into a game that had seen Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's 21st minute opener cancelled out by Sardorbek Bakhromov's bullet into the top corner six minutes later and Theo Hernandez's individual effort was matched by a fine Javokir Sidikov finish. Marcos Leonardo scored in the 79th minute to seal the victory for Al Hilal.  

Al Hilal's win was their second in the competition after an opening day victory over Qatar's Al Duhail while Nasaf suffered another agonising loss to Saudi Pro League opposition having been beaten by defending champions Al Ahli earlier in the month, the AFC website reported.

The home side had worked hard to suppress an energetic opening by Al Hilal, who had seen an early effort ruled out for offside, only to fall behind as a result of a handling error by Abduvakhid Nematov.

Abdullah Al Hamddan's low cross from the right should have been comfortably dealt with by the Nasaf goalkeeper, but he fumbled the ball into the path of Milinkovic-Savic and the Serbian midfielder rolled his shot into the empty net.

Nasaf pulled level within six minutes when, from more than 25 yards out, Bakhromov made the most of the Al Hilal defence's failure to deny the midfielder time and space as he thumped a right foot shot into the top corner of Yassine Bounou's goal.

Ruben Neves forced a fine save out of Nematov in the second minute of first half injury time but there was nothing the Nasaf goalkeeper could do moments later to stop Hernandez.

The former AC Milan fullback picked up possession 35 yards from goal and quickly evaded one defender before side-stepping and stumbling past four more Nasaf players to deftly clip the ball over Nemetov as he attempted to close the Frenchman down.

Milinkovic-Savic was denied a third for Al Hilal six minutes into the second half while Hamad Al Tuhayfan's attempt was blocked five minutes later and by the hour mark Nasaf were level again.

Umarbek Eshmurodov's incisive pass from deep caught out the Al Hilal defence to release Sidikov into space and the substitute steadied himself before beating Bounou at his near post with a coolly taken finish.

Nemetov denied Mohammed Kanno and Kaio Cesar but Milinkovic-Savic opened up the Nasaf defence with 11 minutes remaining when, at the end of a driving run, he slid the ball into the path of Leonardo and he lifted the ball over the advancing Nemetov for the winner. (QNA)