Soufiane Rahimi, the Moroccan international, propelled Al Ain to victory yet again, securing a hat-trick in the first leg of the semi-final of the Asian Champions League against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
Rahimi’s remarkable performance comes on the heels of his stellar contribution in the quarter-finals, where he scored crucial goals against Al Nassr, featuring the likes of Sadio Mané and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Moroccan striker wasted no time in making an impact, opening the scoring in the 5th minute of the game. His dynamic presence on the field drew a penalty in the 23rd minute, skillfully converted by Rahimi himself.
Undeterred, he netted another penalty in the 38th minute, completing his hat-trick with finesse. Despite having the opportunity to score a fourth goal from the spot, Rahimi generously allowed his teammate Kaku to take the penalty in the 56th minute.
Al Ain’s 4-2 triumph puts them in a favorable position for qualification to the final of the AFC Champions League, pending the outcome of the return leg.
With his hat-trick, Rahimi now leads the scoring charts in the Asian Champions League with an impressive tally of 11 goals, placing him three goals ahead of his nearest competitors.
This remarkable feat adds to his season total of 20 goals across all competitions for the Emirati club.
Rahimi’s exceptional form and clinical finishing have not only propelled Al Ain’s campaign in the Asian Champions League but have also solidified his reputation as one of the tournament’s standout performers.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Rahimi to continue his goal-scoring exploits and lead his team to further success on the continental stage.
