Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia won the AFC Elite Football Champions League title for the second time in a row after defeating Japan’s Machida Zelvia Club, on Saturday evening, 1-0 after overtime, in the final match hosted by Al-Enmaa Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. Thus, Al-Ahly equaled the number of titles for its compatriot Al-Ittihad (2), compared to four for Al-Hilal, the record holder.
Published on: 04/26/2026 - 09:27 Last updated: 04/26/2026 - 09:34
On Saturday evening, Al-Ahly Saudi Club won the title of champion of the AFC Champions League for the elite football competition for the second time in a row, with a narrow victory over Machida Zelvia of Japan 1-0 after overtime at Al-Enmaa Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah in front of more than 58,000 spectators.
Al-Ahly, which played more than 50 minutes with ten players after Zakaria Hawsawi was sent off (68), owes its victory to Firas Al-Braikan, who scored the only goal (96). Al-Braikan ignited the stands with a close-range shot after following a ball from Franck Kessier following a Riyad Mahrez cross.
Al-Ahly started the first half of the match attacking and took the initiative towards the goal when Brazilian Henderson Galino shot a powerful ball that passed next to the post (5). Machida responded with a header from Hotaka Nakamura that was easily caught by Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (9).
Mahrez's cross, Kessier's follow-up, and Al-Buraikan's goal
Al-Ahly continued its attempts, but they did not pose a threat until Turkish Merih Demiral received a ball inside the penalty area, which he shot hard and hit the crossbar and made its way off the field (42). Although the team completed the match with ten players, German coach Matthias Jaisse placed his confidence in his main players without change.
Al-Braikan scored the goal after Mahrez’s cross and Kessier’s follow-up in front of the goal (96). In the second extra half, Al-Ahly missed an opportunity to double the score when Galino launched a powerful shot over the crossbar (116).
Thus, Al-Ahly equaled the number of titles for its compatriot Al-Ittihad (2), compared to four for Al-Hilal, the record holder.
After winning the African Cup of Nations with his country, Ivory Coast, in 2023, and the Spanish League in the same year with Barcelona, and before that in the Italian season with Milan, Franck Kessier continued his brilliance by achieving his third title with the team (the 2025 Local Super Cup). The international midfielder was crowned the best player in the competition.
France 24/Reuters/AFP
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