Al-Ain reaches Asian Champions League final by beating Al-Hilal 5-4 on aggregate

By The Associated Press

UAE's Al Ain' players celebrate after the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2023/24 semi-final match against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal at Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Str]

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates reached the final of the Asian Champions League after beating Al-Hilal 5-4 on aggregate in the semifinals to end Saudi Arabia’s chances of winning the continental prize. Four-time champion Al-Hilal won 2-1 in Riyadh but was unable to overturn the 4-2 deficit from last week’s first leg. Al-Hilal is the fourth Saudi Pro League club to be eliminated since the knockout stages began in February. In May, Al-Ain will face the winner of the semifinal in the eastern zone. Ulsan HD of South Korea visits Yokohama F.Marinos on Wednesday with a 1-0 lead from the first leg.