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LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic posted a triple double with 31 points, 20 assists and 12 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks won their sixth game in the last seven by edging the Washington Wizards 125-124 on Saturday.

It was the first triple double for Doncic since March 15 as he spearheaded a Mavericks’ attack that led the game by 12 points after the first quarter and by five at halftime.

“Everyone expects greatness from him every single night,” said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. “Just think about it, at 22 years old and having that kind of expectation put on him every night. But he is an amazing player.

“He does an amazing job of absorbing all of it.”

Dorian Finney-Smith drained the deciding three with nine seconds left in front of a pandemic-limited crowd of 4,300 at American Airlines Centre in Texas.

Finney-Smith finished with 22 points, Maxi Kleber tallied 17 and Tim Hardaway scored 16 points for the Mavericks, who improved to 36-27 on the season.

Russell Westbrook equalled his season-high of 42 points and Bradley Beal had 29 points as the Wizards suffered just their second loss in the past dozen games.

Doncic hit a jump shot with 34 seconds left to tie it 122-122.

Bradley Beal put Washington in front with a pair of free throws with 26 seconds to go before Doncic found Finney-Smith open for his clutch three.

Beal failed to connect on a potential game-winning three-pointer with two seconds left on the clock.

Elsewhere, Stephen Curry poured in 30 points and the Golden State Warriors tightened up on defence to beat the Houston Rockets 113-87 and give their play-off push a much needed boost.

Curry scored 23 points in the third quarter as the Warriors seized control by going on a 24-0 run for a 77-59 lead.

The win couldn’t have come at a better time for the Warriors, who halted a two-game losing skid after winning seven of nine previously.

The Warriors struggled on defence in both losses, surrendering a 25-0 run to the Dallas Mavericks and then giving up 37 fourth quarter points against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“We just need to bring a little joy. It’s been tough trying to create consistency, we’ve had guys in and out of the line-up and really playing eight guys every night,” Curry said. 

“Bringing energy is our focus, but when we bring joy and let that flow on the court — and I’ve got to lead that — that’s when good things happen.”

Curry also had six rebounds and five assists while Canadian Andrew Wiggins chipped in 20 points. Draymond Green finished with 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors. 

Kevin Porter, who was coming off a 50-point performance over Milwaukee on Thursday, scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half and added six assists for the under-manned Rockets. Jae’Sean Tate had 14 points for Houston, who led by as many as 11 points in the first half.

At one stage of the contest, Houston went scoreless for 5:25, missing all 12 of their shot attempts.

In Charlotte, Terry Rozier scored 29 points as the Charlotte Hornets used a 13-0 run in the final quarter to beat the Detroit Pistons 107-94.

Charlotte improved to 31-24 on the season but they had to work for the victory after the Pistons went on a 20-6 blitz that straddled the third and fourth quarters to cut the lead to just three points.

Frank Jackson led Detroit with 25 points, and Saddiq Bey added 22. The pair combined for 11 of Detroit’s 13 threes.

LONDON — After 10 years of trying and billions spent to make it possible, Manchester City are closer to winning the Champions League than they have ever been.

A come-from-behind 2-1 win away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday has put Pep Guardiola's side in sight of the final.

The threat posed by PSG's star duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe remains ahead of Tuesday's semifinal, second leg in Manchester, but City appear to have learned from many years of harsh lessons in Europe's premier club competition.

A clash between the French champions and soon-to-be-crowned Premier League winners was also a proxy battle between Qatar-owned PSG and Abu Dhabi-backed City.

Despite changing the face of European football with their investment in the transfer market over the past decade, both clubs are still waiting for the ultimate glory of winning the Champions League.

PSG came closest when they lost last season's final 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

Having this time seen off the German giants in the quarter-finals, Mauricio Pochettino's men started like a team determined to go one better this year.

Captain Marquinhos powered home Angel di Maria's corner on 15 minutes in a blistering start by the hosts.

In Guardiola's first four seasons in charge of City, setbacks in Champions League knockout ties have often deteriorated into collapses.

Monaco, Liverpool, Tottenham and Lyon all scored multiple times in quick succession to oust City before the semi-final stage.

But crucially, there was no repeat of that this time as Champions League's meanest defence kept PSG at bay until after the break.

No surprises from Guardiola

In another change from previous seasons, there was no surprise in Guardiola's team selection for a big Champions League tie.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has often been accused of overthinking his tactics in the latter stages of this competition, only to cause confusion among his own players.

This time he stuck by the striker-less system that has carried City to the brink of a third Premier League title in four years.

The flexible front four of Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva took the ball and control of the game away from PSG in the second half.

"We are good playing in a certain way, we cannot do it another way," said Guardiola, on his side's passing rhythm.

"Only what I want is to be ourselves in the second game."

Perhaps most importantly of all, City's luck on the Champions League stage may also have changed.

Controversial refereeing decisions and VAR interventions played a major part as they bowed out to Liverpool, Tottenham and Lyon in the past three years.

There was no debate over the red card shown to PSG midfielder Idrissa Gueye 13 minutes from time.

But City were fortunate for both their vital away goals.

Firstly, De Bruyne's teasing cross nestled in the far corner with goalkeeper Keylor Navas flat-footed.

Then the Belgian's decision to step aside for a free-kick 19 minutes from time proved inspired as Riyad Mahrez's strike slipped through a gaping hole in the PSG wall.

Last weekend, Guardiola lifted his seventh major trophy as City boss with a fourth consecutive League Cup.

By the time PSG arrive in Manchester next week, his third Premier League title could have been sealed, to go with three league crowns in both Spain and Germany.

But the trophy Manchester City covets most is the one that has eluded him since he won his second Champions League as Barcelona coach in 2011.

City's mission is not yet complete, but they finally have the look of Champions League winners.

MADRID — Karim Benzema came to Real Madrid’s rescue again on Tuesday, his acrobatic volley earning them a 1-1 draw against an impressive Chelsea side in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal. 

Christian Pulisic grabbed Chelsea a deserved away goal in a soaking wet contest at Valdebebas but they might regret not pulling away, with the struggling Timo Werner again missing a golden chance.

It means Madrid will be satisfied too, after recovering from a chastening opening half an hour before Benzema’s brilliance left the tie in the balance.

Eden Hazard was given 24 minutes off the bench against his former club but despite some twinkling touches, he was unable to add a late twist. “It’s always good to play against friends,” Hazard told BT Sport afterwards. 

By the time the Belgian entered the contest, it was drifting, the early adrenaline lost, with both teams seemingly content to defer to the return leg at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday. 

Benzema’s goal was his 71st in the Champions League, making him the joint-fourth top scorer in the competition’s history with Raul, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski. 

When Real Madrid were suffering, and in the absence of the injured Sergio Ramos, Benzema was the one dragging his team back into this match, at times through sheer force of will. 

With Werner clearly short of confidence, the Frenchman’s precision at the other end could yet prove the difference. 

“We should have won the first half,” said Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel. “We should have scored at least one more.”

“The result is fair,” said Zinedine Zidane. “Our first half wasn’t the best, their pressure caused us difficulties but we adapted and in the second half we were better.”

These two teams were both among the Super League’s “Dirty Dozen”, with Madrid President Florentino Perez, the face and voice of the breakaway project, watching on at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium. 

Despite stirring scenes of protests outside Premier League stadiums last weekend, Real Madrid’s — admittedly remote — training ground was untouched by any sign of discontent with the club. 

And there was no Real Madrid revolt against UEFA either, with the Champions League anthem ringing out as normal and the stadium announcer loyally declaring: “The UEFA Champions League brings together the best teams in Europe.” 

Chelsea were electric in the first half an hour, their passing slicker and their movement quicker than Madrid, who were unable to keep up. 

Werner misses sitter

Werner should have scored when Mason Mount’s deflected, looping shot was headed across goal by Pulisic but he missed from six yards, his volley blocked by the right leg of Thibaut Courtois. 

But Chelsea’s dominance was such that another chance never felt far away, in the 14th minute Pulisic taking advantage. 

Antonio Rudiger was given time to float a delightful ball over the top for the darting American, whose first touch took him left but he recovered his poise, nipping past Courtois and firing between Marcelo and Raphael Varane on the line. 

Chelsea were rampant but as the rain began to pour, Madrid found a way back. Benzema led the resistance, one shot from distance shaving the post before another from close drew Madrid level. 

A short corner worked its way to Marcelo on the edge of the area and his cross was headed back in via Casemiro and Eder Militao. Benzema, with his back to goal and surrounded by blue shirts, tamed the ball with his forehead before throwing his body into the air and volleying in before his markers could react. 

Marcelo and Jorginho were both guilty of sloppy passes early in the second half but neither Werner nor Benzema could capitalise. 

And for 20 minutes the game drifted, both sides nervous of opening up. Four substitutes came on just after the hour, Hazard and Kai Havertz among them. Hazard was making his third appearance in three months. 

But Benzema’s shot was blocked, Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick curled into the hands of Courtois and a late Madrid cross flashed past the far post. A draw was a fair result. 

AMMAN  — Week 4 of the 69th Jordan Professional League (Pro League) kicks off Thursday with all teams back in action after Wihdat’s matches were postponed due to their participation in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League matches. 

Salt and Shabab Urdun lead the pack, while reigning champs Wihdat will play the first of their postponed matches on May 4 following their return from Saudi Arabia where they are playing in Group D of the preliminary round of the Asian Champions League.

As Leg 2 started, Wihdat lost 2-0 to Qatar’s Al Sadd but then came back to beat Saudi Arabia’s Nassr 2-1 in an impressive result. They will play their last match against Iran’s Foolad on Friday. Leg 1 saw them lose 3-1 to two-time champs Al Sadd. They also lost 1-0 loss to Foolad and held Nassr 0-0.

This week, Wihdat play Jalil, Faisali play Ma’an, Ramtha meet Salt, Baqa’a play Shabab Urdun Sahab take on Jazira while Hussein play Aqaba. In last week’s matches, Salt took the lead after they beat Aqaba 2-1 while Shabab Urdun beat Sahab 2-1. Jazira beat Hussein 4-0 , Ma’an beat Baqa’a 2-0 and Ramtha beat Jalil 1-0.

The season started with a newcomer to the Pro League, relatively unknown Jalil, overcoming Wihdat to win the 34th Jordan Football Association Shield — the first of the season competitions. Wihdat came back to win their 14th Super Cup when they beat one time winners Jazira in 38th Jordan Super Cup, the second title up for grabs in the 2021 football season.

Last season, Wihdat took home their 17th title while Jazira finished runner-up, leaving Ramtha in third place, while former champs Faisali settled for fifth after Salt. Sarih dropped alongside eight-time league champ veterans Ahli after a disappointing season. Ahli, were relegated last decade but came back to win the Jordan Cup in 2015 and played in the AFC. Jalil and Baqa’a joined the 12-club Pro League this year. 

Last season Wihdat also won their 10th Jordan Football Association Shield (JFA) title. In other competitions, Faisali overcame Jazira to win their 17th Jordan Super Cup, as the Jordan Cup was scrapped from the agenda for the first time since the competition kicked off in 1980.

The season will be interrupted by regional and international competitions as the national team will resume 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers set to be played in Kuwait June 7-15.

Faisali and Salt are set to play in the AFC Cup. In 2020, Faisali played alongside Jazira in the AFC Cup, which was later scrapped with the COVID-19 pandemic halting regional and international sporting agendas. 

Since the league kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Ahli, Urdun and Homenetmen competing, Faisali are 34 time record league champs, while Wihdat won 17 times since they joined in 1980.

Although Faisali are the all-time record titleholders, Wihdat’s record is quite impressive. After four years in the Pro League, they won their first title in 1980 and have gone on to win the majority of titles since then.

SARCELLES, France — Born and brought up in a gritty Paris suburb, Riyad Mahrez has gone on to become one of the leading players of his generation and returns to the French capital with Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals this week.

Yet, his route to the top, sidestepping the usual youth academy apprenticeship, is variously described by his former coaches in Sarcelles as “unlikely” and the player himself as an “anomaly”.

Now 30, the winger has been a key player for City this season, scoring in their Champions League quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund and playing the 90 minutes as Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the English League Cup final on Sunday.

He has also won the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria, the country from where his father emigrated to France.

Mahrez himself grew up in Sarcelles, in the “banlieues” around 20 kilometres north of Paris, and learned the game at a local amateur club, leaving a mark on those who played with him as he made his journey to one of Europe’s biggest sides.

“The only person who believed was Riyad himself,” Hayel Mbemba, who played with Mahrez at AAS Sarcelles, told AFP. “He has a strength of character which is above the average. He is football crazy, and that is an understatement.”

“He owes his success entirely to himself. He had an unwavering self-confidence. Some people might think it’s arrogance but it’s not the case,” explains Mohamed Coulibaly, who runs the local club.

The production line of world-class players coming through the Paris suburbs is remarkable and seemingly never-ending, from Thierry Henry to Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and many more in between. 

Frail

However, while Mahrez was always a young player with outstanding technical gifts, that was no guarantee he would make it in the game.

His former coaches recall how his frail physique seemed to work against him, but aged 18 he left Sarcelles for a trial at Quimper, an amateur fourth-tier club in distant Brittany.

From there he earned a professional deal at Le Havre, the second-division club where Pogba first played.

Mahrez spent four years in the Normandy port city before crossing the English Channel to sign for Leicester City, then in the second-tier Championship.

He has never looked back since moving to England, but sources close to Mahrez say he was “hesitant” and that he “sought the advice of his friends in Sarcelles who convinced him to go”.

It is just as well he went.

Mahrez won the English Premier League with Leicester, against all odds, in 2016 and is now on the brink of a second Premier League title in three seasons with City.

The Champions League could follow, if Mahrez can help City get the better of his home-town club first.

“His journey is something of an anomaly in football. He has beaten the odds all thanks to his technical ability,” says Mbemba, and there is a belief that missing out on youth academy coaching has allowed him to retain an element of the street footballer so rarely seen in the modern game.

“When I watch him on the television he dribbles in the same way he did when he was 10 years old,” says Franck Satougle, who once coached Mahrez.

Satougle watched Mahrez play as a kid and remembers how, even after he turned professional at Le Havre, he would come back to Sarcelles on a Sunday and play in the neighbourhood where he grew up.

Local pride

“His journey is the dream of every kid in the ‘banlieues’. He is just a few steps away from winning the greatest trophy in European football despite his unlikely route to the top.”

Sarcelles may be PSG territory, but there is still plenty of local pride at Mahrez’s success.

“Riyad is a respected person with exemplary physical and mental discipline. He is a source of inspiration for the people of Sarcelles,” says Patrick Haddad, the mayor of the town. He awarded Mahrez the medal of Sarcelles in 2019. 

Mahrez may be the captain of Algeria but he remains attached to the suburb where he grew up and is involved in a scheme which allows youths from Sarcelles to travel to Manchester to watch City.

A stadium named after Mahrez will be inaugurated later this year in Sarcelles.

“He is a good lad who is still a child at heart and who expresses himself with the ball,” adds Mbemba.

PSG had better watch out. 

DOHA — Al Sadd boosted their chances of making the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League on Monday after a hard fought 1-0 win over Iran’s Foolad Khouzestan put them top of Group D.

It was the third win in five matches for Xavi’s side who now have 10 points, two ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr who suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Jordan’s Wihdat.

At the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium in Riyadh, South Korean star Nam Tae-hee scored the only goal of the match to give former champions Al Sadd a vital three points in the race to top the group.

Wihdat, however, have no chance of making the round of 16 with just four points from five matches and will at best finish in third position if they win their next match.

Nam rose high to head in a cross from Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos in the 64th minute as Al Sadd broke the deadlock following several missed chances at both ends.

Foolad’s loss means they have to win their next match and hope Al Nassr slip up against Al Sadd on Thursday to stand a chance of making the cut as the second placed team.

Al Wahda ended Persepolis’ four-match unbeaten run in the competition with a 1-0 win that raises their hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase as Group E winners.

Slovenian forward Tim Matavz’s fifth-minute strike proved decisive in the match in Margao, India, and took the Emirati club to 10 points from five matches, two behind Iranian giants Persepolis.

The result means that both teams will have to win their sixth and final group phase match to ensure qualification in a format where only the five group winners and three best second-placed teams make the round of 16.

Abu Dhabi-based Al Wahda were beaten 1-0 by Persepolis in the first week of the tournament but on Monday the Iranians were caught napping early in the match as Matavz raced into the penalty area and struck the winner with a powerful shot to the roof of the net.

Persepolis hardly had a close look at the Al Wahda goal in the first half and almost conceded their second on the night, but goalkeeper Hamed Lak made a fine save after Omar Khribin had attempted to score with an audacious shot from inside his own half.

The Iranians did have a few chances in the second half but Hossein Kanani headed wide and Ehasan Pahlavan saw his shot crash onto the crossbar.

Al Wahda next play FC Goa on Thursday, while Persepolis take on Qatar’s Al Rayyan to decide the group winners.

Salem Shah scored twice as Sharjah topped Group B with a match to spare after beating Iraq’s Air Force Club 3-2 at the Sharjah Stadium. 

Sharjah have 11 points while Iran’s Tractor FC are in second spot with seven after playing out a goalless draw against Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor.

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant scored 33 points in his return from a three-game injury absence as the Brooklyn Nets solidified their hold on first place in the NBA Eastern Conference with a 128-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Durant came off the bench early in the second quarter and showed little rust after being out with a thigh injury. In 28 minutes of playing time, Durant shot 12-of-21 from the floor in a Sunday afternoon clash between two of the best teams in the NBA.

“It was a good start. Hopefully, I’ll build on this game and keep going,” Durant said.

Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 34 points, going 30-plus for the 15th time this season, and Blake Griffin finished with 16 for Brooklyn, who improved to 41-20 for a one and a half-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference standings.

Jeff Green and Joe Harris scored 10 points each for the Nets, while DeAndre Jordan had 12 rebounds in front of the pandemic-limited crowd of 1,700 at Barclays Centre arena.

Devin Booker scored 36 points for Phoenix, while Deandre Ayton scored 20 points with 13 rebounds, as the Suns lost two straight for the first time since late January.

“I thought we started off pretty well, they just continued to make shots,” Booker said. “I think we had a lot of miscommunications on a lot of our switches and that’s that.”

Torrey Craig tallied 20 points while point guard Chris Paul was held to just 14 points on five of 11 shooting.

Phoenix, second in the West behind the Utah Jazz, dropped to 42-18 and are now 2-2 on a five-game East coast road trip with another contest on Monday against the red-hot New York Knicks, who have won nine straight.

Brooklyn, who were without injured James Harden for the 10th straight game, outscored the Suns 31-27 in the final quarter after trailing by as many as 13 in the second period. They have won six of 10 games with Harden out of the line-up.

The Nets led by just five, 97-92, at the end of the third but a three-pointer from Durant stretched the lead to 102-92 early in the fourth and they held off Phoenix the rest of the way.

Durant scored 10 points in the third quarter, then had the first five of the fourth to give Brooklyn its first double-digit lead at 102-92.

“The thing I love the most is that we all know, one of my favourite things about him is how much he just loves to play basketball,” Griffin said. “So you know when he’s sitting out it’s just like killing him, so just to see that joy of just being able to play basketball again is fun for us.”

In Atlanta, Bogdan Bogdanovic equalled his season-high of 32 points as the Atlanta Hawks came from behind to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-104.

Lou Williams scored all 15 of his points in the final quarter, including three three-pointers during a 19-6 run by the Hawks.

Bogdanovic was 12-for-21 from the field and six-for-11 on three-point baskets for Atlanta, who snapped a six-game losing skid.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds and Khris Middleton tallied 23 for the Bucks, who dropped to 37-23.

The Hawks also got 20 points from Kevin Huerter and 18 points from John Collins. 

Atlanta was playing without leading scorer Trae Young for the second consecutive game due to an ankle injury.

Elsewhere, guard Devonte’ Graham poured in 24 points to lead a balanced attack as the Charlotte Hornets beat the Boston Celtics 125-104.

BERLIN — Bayern Munich blew the chance to clinch the Bundesliga title for a ninth successive season on Saturday as the club world champions crashed to a 2-1 defeat away to Mainz.

First-half goals by Jonathan Burkardt and Robin Quaison sealed Mainz’s third straight win, pulling them away from the relegation fight and forcing Bayern to wait to be crowned champions.

On his return from a knee injury, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski scored just before the end to leave him four short of Gerd Mueller’s all-time record of 40 Bundesliga goals in a season.

“We just have to put the game behind us, we just weren’t assertive enough,” said Bayern coach Hansi Flick who wants to leave at the end of the season.

Bayern can still win the title on Sunday without kicking a ball if second-placed RB Leipzig, who are 10 points behind Munich, lose at home to Stuttgart.

‘Too few chances’ 

“That was too little from us in the first half, you can’t win games like that, in terms of body language and our build up,” said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, who was at fault for the opening goal.

“We created too few chances and were punished for our own mistakes.”

Mainz made sure Bayern had to put the champagne back on ice by capitalising on the visitors’ errors.

With just three minutes gone, a speculative shot by Germany Under-21 striker Burkardt from the edge of the area deceived Neuer and flew into the Bayern net.

The hosts doubled their lead before the break when Swedish striker Quaison got in between David Alaba and Thomas Mueller to power his header past Neuer.

Bayern showed an unusual lack of discipline as Jerome Boateng, Leon Goretzka and Alaba were all shown yellow cards within six minutes late in the first half.

Mainz had also been 2-0 up at half-time against Bayern at the Allianz Arena in January until the hosts roared back to win 5-2 when Lewandowski scored twice.

However, this time Mainz held their nerve to earn their first home win over Bayern for nearly a decade.

Lewandowski’s goal four minutes into added time was the visitors’ only consolation.

Haaland nets twice

In Wolfsburg, Erling Braut Haaland netted twice as Borussia Dortmund boosted their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season with a 2-0 away win.

Haaland sprinted clear of the defence and fired home from a tight angle with just 12 minutes gone.

Dortmund played with 10 men for the last 31 minutes after 17-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham was sent off for a second yellow card.

However, Dortmund doubled their lead when Mahmoud Dahoud won the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and his pass found Haaland.

The 20-year-old raced clear and slotted past Wolfsburg goalkeeper Koen Casteels for his 37th goal in 38 games this season in all competitions.

With three games left, fifth-placed Dortmund are one point from the Champions League places and face RB Leipzig, Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen.

Haaland roared “Yeesss!” at the final whistle and defender Manuel Akanji said Dortmund are determined to play Champions League football next season.

“A few weeks ago we were still 11 points behind Wolfsburg, now it’s just two,” said Akanji.

“We’re not giving up and want to win every game.”

Dortmund’s cause was boosted later when Eintracht Frankfurt, who are a place and a point above them in the table, lost 3-1 at Bayer Leverkusen.

The hosts scored second-half goals by Leon Bailey and a deft Lucas Alario chip.

Frankfurt top-scorer Andre Silva headed in his 25th goal in added time just before Kerem Demirbay crashed in Leverkusen’s third from outside the area to seal the win.

Finland striker Joel Pohjanpalo struck a hat-trick as Union Berlin romped to a 3-1 home win against Werder Bremen to move up to seventh and a point from the European places.

DOHA — Saudi giants Al Hilal crashed to a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Istiqlol in the Asian Champions League on Saturday, a result that boosted the Tajik side’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stage.

Three-times continental champs Al Hilal had beaten Istiqlol 3-1 on Wednesday but were in for a massive shock in the return.

Russian-born midfielder Manuchekhr Dzhalilov and Manuchehr Safarov each grabbed a brace at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium in Jeddah.

Al Hilal, who last won the tournament in 2019 but were kicked out last year following a spate of coronavirus infections in the squad that left them without enough players, showed early intent on Saturday.

They opened their account through a header from French striker Bafetimbi Gomis in the 34th minute.

But that was the only bright moment for the Saudi side as Dzhalilov struck twice in the span of six minutes to give Istiqlol a 2-1 lead at half-time.

When play resumed, Istiqlol continued to build pressure and it paid off with Safarov taking charge this time. 

The 19-year-old defender made it 3-1 in the 49th minute with his intended cross from the right dropping into the goal stunning goalkeeper Abdulla al-Maiouf.

Safarov completed his double four minutes later with a powerful low shot after receiving a pass from Rustom Soirov to leave the Saudis, who were hugely favoured to top Group A, stunned.

In another match, the UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli defeated Uzbekistan’s AGMK 3-1 to join Al Hilal and Istiqlol on seven points and leave Group A wide open.

Only the group winners and three best second-placed teams make the last 16 phase.

Harib Suhail, Carlos Eduardo and Ahmed Hashmi scored for Shabab in the first half while Shohruh Gadoev accounted for AGMK’s only goal of the match.

In Group C, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli kept alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase with a 2-1 win over Iraq’s Al Shorta.

Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s 79th minute goal clinched three points for the two-time runners-up at their home ground at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, one of the three bio-secure hubs in Saudi Arabia where the west zone matches of the tournament are being played.

Syrian striker Omar Al Somah had given the Saudis a fifth minute lead, scoring from inside the six-yard box off a Driss Fettouhi corner.

But their joy was short-lived as Fahad Youssef restored parity in the 26th minute after he gathered the ball following a free-kick and blasted it past goalkeeper Mohamed Al Owais.

After several close chances for both teams, Ghareeb made amends for his miss earlier with a low shot from a pass from Somah to seal Al Ahli’s second victory over the Iraqis, who crashed out of the tournament with their fourth consecutive defeat.

Also in Group C, Qatar’s Al Duhail and Iran’s Esteghlal played out a 2-2 draw at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

Michael Olunga, who had scored a hat-trick against Esteghlal three days ago when Al Duhail won 4-3, again excelled for the Qataris.

He scored two goals with the result consolidating his team’s position at the top with eight points.