Al Hilal overturn deficit to reach Asian Champions League quarters

Al Hilal overturned a shock defeat in the first leg of their Asian Champions League last-16 tie with Pakhtakor to prevail 4-1 on aggregate and book a spot in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

The Saudi Pro League club, record four-time winners of the competition, ran out 4-0 victors in the return match in Riyadh, where first-half goals from defender Hamad Al Yami and Brazilian forward Malcom set them on their way.

Captain Salem Al Dawsari then scored a penalty early in the second half, while namesake Nasser Al Dawsari wrapped up the result in stoppage time.

Al Hilal had to make do without star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who missed the game after he was found to have an irregular heartbeat at the weekend having returned from a two-month injury lay-off.

The former Newcastle United and Fulham frontman had scored in the Saudi Pro League match at Al Fayha.

However, Mitrovic was present in the Kingdom Arena stands as Al Hilal overturned their 1-0 loss in Uzbekistan last week –- their first defeat in this season's rebranded Asian Champions League.

The hosts took the lead just after the half-hour mark, when midfielder Mohamed Kanno crossed from the left and Al Yami, deputising for injured former Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, connected with a diving header at the back post.

Kanno got his second assist of the match three minutes before halftime, the Saudi Arabia international splitting the Pakhtakor defence to set free Malcom.

He made no mistake, firing his shot past compatriot Jhonatan.

Al Hilal, who were also missing ex-Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic through injury, made safe the result six minutes into the second half.

Pakhtakor full-back Khojiakbar Alijonov tripped Al Dawsari in the penalty area and the Al Hilal captain dusted himself off to covert from the spot. In injury time, Nasser Al Dawsari tapped home his team's fourth.

Al Hilal will join Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, who on Monday defeated Esteghlal of Iran 3-0 on aggregate, and fellow Saudi side Al Ahli in the last eight.

Former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez got both goals as the Jeddah club saw off Qatar's Al Rayyan 2-0 at home to triumph 5-1 on aggregate.

Mahrez, who scored twice in six minutes late on, now has eight goals and seven assists in this season's competition as Al Ahli remain unbeaten.

Earlier on Tuesday, last year's runners-up Yokohama F-Marinos comfortably dispatched Shanghai Port 5-1 on aggregate following a thumping 4-1 victory in the second leg in Japan.

Goals from Daiya Tono, Yan Matheus and a double from Anderson Lopes took Marinos through. Leonardo got the goal for the Chinese Super League champions.

Thai champions Buriram United advanced with a hard-fought 1-0 win in their second leg away to Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim.

Suphanat Mueanta got the tie's only goal in the 58th minute after the first match in Thailand finished goalless.

The draw for the last eight will take place in Kuala Lumpur next Monday.