Kuala Lumpur: Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds set up an enticing West meets East AFC Champions League final after seeing off Persepolis and Shanghai SIPG respectively over two legs in the semi-finals to advance to next month's showpiece event.
As key strikers again stole the headlines in the second leg encounters, perhaps with one major exception, we take a look at some of the most noteworthy statistics from the week that saw the number of teams vying for continental glory whittled down to just two.
In-form Omar
No one is in better form on the continent than Al Hilal's Omar Khribin, whose brace against Persepolis in a 2-2 draw on Tuesday leaves the Syrian forward joint top of the scoring charts with Hulk on nine goals. With the big Brazilian having now exited, Khribin is clear favourite to end the tournament on top of the pile after netting five times in the 6-2 aggregate win.
Lethal in the box
Another potent striker, Rafael Silva, bagged his seventh of the campaign as Urawa Red Diamonds edged Shanghai SIPG 1-0 on Wednesday to run out 2-1 aggregate winners. The Brazilian is a predator around the six yard box so his header from close in was no surprise, but the fact the tournament’s top scorers have now netted all 28 of their goals from inside the penalty area offers a far more interesting statistic.
Keeping busy
Salman Al Faraj recoveries
Al Hilal may have gone into their second leg with Persepolis holding a comfortable four-goal lead but midfielder Salman Al Faraj was in no way taking it easy. The Saudi international touched the ball more times (107) than any other player this week and, perhaps more tellingly, posted the highest number of recoveries (15) as Al Hilal returned to the final for the first time since 2014.
Not the perfect 10
Hulk’s attempts on goal (blocked efforts in blue)
A goal in each of the nine games he has played in meant Hulk had forged a reputation as the most feared striker on the continent. For the first time in this year’s competition, the Brazilian drew a blank and with it Shanghai failed to score for the first time since a 1-0 defeat – which Hulk was absent from – away at Urawa back in April when, you’ve guessed it, Rafael Silva scored the only goal.
Goal-getter Godwin
A brace for Godwin Mensha against Al Hilal took the striker’s tally to four goals in four AFC Champions League games since joining Persepolis, meaning only Omar Khribin has scored more since the beginning of the quarter-finals. A weekly high of five shots showed the Nigerian was in the mood and, despite his side’s exit, Mensha has undoubtedly proven a shrewd acquisition.
Duo top the duels
Kazuki Nagasawa in action against Shanghai SIPG
With 14 duels won apiece, Urawa’s Wataru Endo and Kazuki Nagasawa won more than any other player this week, with the former coming out on top of an incredible 87.5 percent of duels he contested. Rafael Silva’s early goal may have grabbed the headlines, but the pair’s contribution should also be recognised as the J.League side made it six home wins from six on the continent.
Twelve unbeaten
Persepolis were unbeaten between Matchday Four and the semi-final first leg
Another record that has been maintained is Al Hilal’s unbeaten one, with the Riyadh club having yet to lose in 12 outings. Korea Republic’s Ulsan Hyundai were the last side to win the tournament undefeated – disposing of Al Hilal along the way in 2012 – and the Saudi team are now just two games away from also ending the competition with an unblemished record.
Pass master
Odil Ahmedov’s successful passes
Shanghai SIPG's Odil Ahmedov made more successful passes than any other player this week with the Uzbek midfielder’s 71, from 78 attempted, delivering a 91 percent success ratio. Another Shanghai midfielder, Oscar, was also high on the list and, for once, it was a Japanese side – so often controllers of the tempo – that conceded possession as the visitors had more than 60 percent of the ball.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com