Tadic Leads Al Wahda to Comeback Win Over Al-Sadd, Securing Knockout Spot

Dusan Tadic inspires Al Wahda to a thrilling 3-1 comeback win over Al-Sadd, securing their place in the Asian Champions League knockout rounds with 13 points from five matches.

“When we don't give our opponents the initiative, we are much better, and this is the way Al Wahda should play...” 

Al Hilal secured their spot in the Asian Champions League last-16 with a dominant 4-0 win over Al Shorta in Riyadh. This victory marks their fifth consecutive win, propelling them to 15 points from five matches in the western league phase.

Marcos Leonardo led the charge with a brace, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Joao Cancelo also contributed to the win. Al Shorta's Ahmed Yahia was sent off in the 61st minute, handing Al Hilal the momentum they needed to seal their victory. Al Wahda also booked their place in the knockout rounds with a 3-1 win over Al-Sadd.

Al Hilal took a big step towards advancing in the competition with a 4-0 win over Al Shorta. The Brazilian striker opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time with a powerful header past Hasan Ahmed.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 61st minute when Ahmed Yahia was sent off for a second bookable offense, leaving Al Shorta with 10 men and a tough task to come back. Al Hilal capitalized on the extra man, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's header slipping through Ahmed's hands to double the lead two minutes later.

Leonardo sealed the win with a header, and Joao Cancelo hit the fourth in added time, securing Al Hilal's comfortable victory. The win keeps Al Hilal in contention for the knockout stages, with the top eight teams in both the western and eastern league phases advancing to March's Round of 16.

Dusan Tadic led Al Wahda to a thrilling 3-1 comeback win over Al-Sadd in Abu Dhabi, securing their spot in the knockout rounds. Al-Sadd had taken the lead through Claudinho's penalty in first-half stoppage time, but Tadic equalized 10 minutes after the break.

Tadic's goal sparked Al Wahda's resurgence, and they went on to score two more goals to seal the win. This victory confirms Al Wahda's place in the last 16, alongside Al Hilal, who thrashed Al Shorta 4-0.

Tadic showcased his skill with a stunning strike on the turn, curling the ball into the top corner, and followed it up with another emphatic finish 11 minutes later. His quality sparked Al Wahda's comeback, and he continued to make an impact.

At the top of the table & qualified 🔝💙 pic.twitter.com/wXd15cxq38

— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) November 25, 2025

Tadic's influence was crucial, and he capped it off with a timely assist, setting up Caio Canedo for the third goal with just three minutes left. The win puts Al Wahda top of the table with 13 points from five matches, securing their spot in the knockout stages.

“When we don't give our opponents the initiative, we are much better, and this is the way Al Wahda should play,” said Tadic. “This is how we win the game.

“In the first half, I believe we gave them too much space and then everyone can play football. In the second half, we didn't give them space, and we showed we're a better team than them.”