Al Hilal vs Urawa live score, updates, highlights, and result from AFC Champions League final 1st leg

By | April 29, 2023
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The showcase final to decide the club champion of Asia kicks off on Saturday as Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal host Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final.

Despite being played in 2023, the two teams are actually battling for the 2022 title with the winner determined over two legs held in the span of a week. The two-leg final was pushed into 2023 after the schedule was shifted due to the FIFA World Cup. 

It’s the third time that Al Hilal and Urawa Reds have faced off for the title of best team in Asia. They split the last two final meetings in 2017 (Urawa Reds won 2-1 on aggregate) and 2019 (Al Hilal won 3-0 on aggregate).

Al Hilal are record four-time Champions League winners and the defending title holders of the competition, having defeated South Korea’s Pohang Steelers for the 2021 title. Although the Saudi Arabian side will be the favourites, the defensively stout Urawa haven’t lost in 11 matches since a 2-0 league defeat to Yokohama on February 25.

Sporting News is following Al Hilal vs Urawa Reds match live and providing score updates, commentary, and highlights as they happen.

MORE: Saudi Pro League top scorers as Al Hilal’s Odion Ighalo leads the way

Al Hilal vs Urawa Reds live score

  Halftime
Al Hilal 1
Urawa 0

Goals:
HILAL — Salem Al Dawsari (Michael) — 13th min.

Lineups:

Al Hilal (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Al Mayouf (GK) — 66. Saud, 20. Jang, 5. Al Bulayhi, 2. Al Burayk— 28. Kanno, 7. Al Faraj — 96. Michael, 17. Marega, 29. S. Al Dawsari — 9. Ighalo

Urawa Reds (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Nishikawa (GK) — 2. H. Sakai, 28. Scholz, 5. Hoibraten, 15. Akimoto — 3. A. Ito, 19. Iwao — 21. Okubo, 8. Koizumi, 14. Sekine — 30. Koroki

Al Hilal vs Urawa live updates, highlights from AFC Champions League 1st Leg

Halftime: Al Hilal 1-0 Urawa Red

45th min.: Al Hilal chance! The Saudi Arabian threaten again, on a play sparked by a run from Michael, who they clearly need to find more.

The Brazilian is on the left now and he drives a ball into the box and it ultimately falls to Mohamed Kanno, who fires off target.

37th min.: Defensive play Al Hilal! Excellent job by central midfielder and captain Salman Al Faraj to come back in the box and make the defensive play on an Urawa player slaloming in the Al Hilal box.

Urawa have a bit more determination about them in attack. The match has swung in their favour.

30th min.: Chance Urawa! And it’s another look for the Reds! A cross from the right is met with a header in the box. by Takahiro Akimoto that’s off the mark. But that’s another threat mounted by the Japanese side.

28th min.: Chance Urawa! It’s Koroki who slips just as the ball was reaching him with space. It was a rare look for the visitors, but they couldn’t take advantage. Al Hilal escaped there.

24th min.: Outside of a run into the box by Al Hilal forward Odion Ighalo, which was defused by the Urawa defenders. the teams have been measured in their approach. Al Hilal are seemingly happy to have the lead, while Urawa content to contain the damage.

18th min.: Urawa penalty shout! Kiroki goes down in the box, but the referee from Oman does not see anything wrong with the challenge from Al Hilal centre-back Al Bulayhi. That’s a good decision by the official.

13th min.: Goal Al Hilal! Michael on the right side did the damage with a penetrating run, and his cross went through the Urawa six-yard box, finding Salem Al Dawsari at the far post to roof it.

6th min.: It’s been all Al Hilal early on as Urawa absorb the pressure. The script is clear: Urawa will be looking to stay organised defensively against the attack-minded Al Hilal side.

Defending has been Urawa’s calling card during their recent 11-match unbeaten run, giving up just six goals in that span.

1st min.: We’re off. Al Hilal kick us off and the supporters are in full voice.

2 mins from kickoff: The teams are out on the field and lined up. We’re moments away from kickoff. Check out the “Go Blues” tifo by the Al Hilal supporters.

13 mins from kickoff: More video from the Al Hilal warmups as kickoff nears.

29 mins from kickoff: Here’s Al Hilal top scorer Odion Ighalo, who’s eager to win his first AFC Champions League.

30 mins from kickoff: The Urawa Reds traveling supporter contingent make their voices heard during warmups:

60 mins from kickoff: And here’s the Urawa lineup. Right-back Hiroki Sakai plays his first match since April 9.

90 mins from kickoff: Al Hilal have already released their lineup well in advance of kickoff. With only four international player spots available per team (3+1 rule is three internationals, and one from an Asian country), Al Hilal have left Gustavo Cuellar, Andre Carrillo, and Luciano Vietto off the roster for this first leg.

Odion Ighalo, Moussa Marega, Jang Hyun-soo, and Michael are the international players selected.

2 hrs from kickoff: The first leg will be held at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, also known as the Pearl, with the second leg coming a week later on May 6 from Saitama Stadium.

Al Hilal vs Urawa lineups

The FIFA Club World Cup runners-up will be missing Luciano Vietto, Gustavo Cuellar, Andre Carrillo given the international player restrictions in the AFC Champions League.

Al Hilal starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Al Mayouf (GK) — 66. Saud Abdulhamid, 20. Jang Hyun-soo, 5. Ali Al Bulayhi, 2. Mohammed Al Burayk — 28. Mohamed Kanno, 7. Salman Al Faraj (capt.) — 96. Michael, 17. Moussa Marega, 29. Salem Al Dawsari — 9. Odion Ighalo

Al Hilal subs (10): 31. Habib Al Wutaian (GK), 60. Ahmed Al Jubaya (GK), 70. Mohammed Jahfali, 4. Khalifah Al Dawsari, 88. Hamad Al Yami, 16. Nasser Al Dawsari, 8. Abdullah Otayf, 43. Musab Fahd Aljiwayr, 11. Saleh Al Shehri, 14. Abdullah Al Hamdan

Urawa Reds’ Polish head coach Maciej Skorza has no fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to Riyadh with key right-back Hiroki Sakai passed fit to travel and he’s slotted into the lineup.

Urawa Reds starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Shusaku Nishikawa (GK) — 2. Hiroki Sakai (capt.), 28. Alexander Scholz, 5. Marius Hoibraten, 15. Takahiro Akimoto — 19. Ken Iwao, 3. Atsuki Ito — 21. Tomoaki Okubo, 8. Yoshio Koizumi, 14. Takahiro Sekine — 30. Shinzo Koroki

Urawa subs (10): 12. Zion Suzuki, 4. Takuya Iwanami, 6. Kazuaki Mawatari, 13. Tomoya Inukai, 77. Takuya Ogiwara, 22. Kai Shibato, 25. Kaito Yasui, 40. Yuichi Hirano, 46. Jumpei Hayakawa, 99. Jose Kante Martinez

Al Hilal vs Urawa Red Diamonds live stream, TV channel

  Date Time TV channel Streaming
Australia Sun, April 30 03:30 AEST — Paramount+
Canada Sat, April 29 13:30 EDT — OneFootball
Hong Kong Sun, April 30 01:30 HKT — M Plus Live
India Sat, April 29 23:00 IST — OneFootball
Malaysia Sun, April 30 01:30 MYT — OneFootball
New Zealand Sun, April 30 05:30 NZST — OneFootball
Singapore Sun, April 30 01:30 SGT — OneFootball
UK Sat, April 29 18:30 BST — OneFootball
USA Sat. April 29 13:30 EDT — Paramount+

UK: The match will be available to fans via live stream on OneFootball.

USA: The Asian Champions League, including the finals, is streamed by Paramount+ in the USA.

Canada: Fans in Canada can watch both legs on OneFootball.

Australia: Both legs of the Asian Champions League will be streamed on Paramount+ in Australia.

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