Suffo keeps Hilal's hopes alive

AFC - Cameroon international Patrick Suffo was the hero of Al Hilal as his hat-trick in the 3-2 victory over Esteghlal kept alive the Riyadh side's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League

"We knew this was a very important game for us and now, with three points, we still have a chance of getting to the semi-final," said Hilal's jubilant Dutch coach Aad de Mos, who has invigorated the demoralized squad since his appointment a little over a week ago.

"The win is also good for the tournament," continued the former Ajax, Anderlecht, and Mechelen boss.

"If we had lost then our match against Al Sadd would be about who finishes third or fourth but now, three teams have a chance. In football anything is possible."

Hilal dominated the opening exchanges and after Abdullah Jumaan and Cameroon international Patrick Suffo had both come close to giving Hilal the lead in the first ten minutes, the Riyadh side was given another chance before the quarter-of-an-hour mark.

Yadollah Akbari fouled Jumaan 25-yards from goal and the burly Saudi forward picked himself up, dusted himself down, and fired a trademark thunderbolt free-kick that narrowly missed the target.

Ahmad Khaleel with a header, and then Jumaan again, threatened as the Esteghlal goal was looking increasingly vulnerable. However, against the run of play it was the Iranians who took the lead in the 18th minute.

After the latest Hilal attack had been stemmed, Rasoul Khatibi surged down the right channel and curled in an inviting cross, which Akbari, atoning for his earlier indiscretion, gratefully knocked past Mohammed Al Daeyea to put Esteghlal one up.

The goal didn't change the pattern of the match as Hilal laid siege on Seyed Tabatabaei's goal, with former Manchester United winger Andrei Kanchelskis' bullet header from Al Temyat's flag kick drawing a fine save from the Esteghlal 'keeper.

Al Temyat was again involved when Hilal finally got the goal their attacking gusto richly deserved in the 34th minute.

The mercurial midfielder's intelligent low drive from outside the Esteghlal box was saved well by Tabatabaei but he could do nothing to prevent Suffo nodding the ball into the empty net.

But for the second time in the half Hilal were found wanting defensively when, in the 42nd minute, an unmarked Ali Samereh ghosted into the danger zone undetected, picked up the loose ball and got Esteghlal's second of the night and his second of the tournament.

Sixteen minutes after the interval, the woodwork came to Esteghlal's rescue, as Jumaan sent a curling free-kick crashing off the crossbar.

When the equalizer did come, the goal was once again via the head of Suffo, as the influential midfielder climbed highest in a crowded penalty box to put the Saudis on level terms in the 74th minute.

Barely a minute later Esteghlal had Tabatabaei to thank as the agile Iran international leapt across his goalline to stop Jumaan giving Hilal the lead from yet another free-kick.