Al-Dawsari one goal from AFC Champions League Elite runners-up record

S||||Salem Al-Dawsari moved within one goal of becoming the second-highest scorer in the modern AFC Champions League Elite era, despite scoring in Al-Hilal’s 3-1 defeat by Al Shamal.

The Al-Hilal captain opened the scoring in the 32nd minute of Tuesday’s league-phase match at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. French full-back Theo Hernandez supplied a low pass across the face of goal, allowing Al-Dawsari to finish into an unguarded net.

Al-Hilal were unable to hold on to their advantage, however, as Al Shamal completed a 3-1 victory.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiya, the goal took Al-Dawsari’s total in the Asian competition to 36 since the tournament adopted its current format in 2003. That leaves him one goal behind retired South Korea international Lee Dong-gook, who is second on the all-time list for the competition.

Al-Dawsari also requires six more goals to draw level with Montenegro’s Dejan Damjanovic, who leads the scoring charts with 42 goals in the modern version of the tournament.

The goal was Al-Dawsari’s first of the current season and came in his first start. He had previously featured twice in the Saudi Pro League, entering both matches as a substitute and playing only a limited number of minutes.

Despite Al-Hilal’s defeat, the 36-year-old’s latest strike strengthened his position among the leading scorers in the competition’s modern history. His next six goals would take him level with Damjanovic at the top of the list, while another goal would move him outright into second place ahead of Lee Dong-gook.

The result left Al-Hilal facing a setback in the third round of the league phase, while Al Shamal claimed a notable victory at home. For Al-Dawsari, though, the match produced a personal landmark and brought him closer to two significant scoring records in Asian club football.