Shabab Al Ahli secured a vital point with a 0-0 draw against unbeaten Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League Elite on February 9, 2026, at Rashid Stadium in Dubai. The result ended Al Hilal's perfect group stage record while keeping Shabab Al Ahli's qualification hopes alive. Both teams struggled to create clear chances, highlighting the impact of Al Hilal's missing key players.
The seventh round of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26 West Zone brought high stakes to Rashid Stadium, where UAE's Shabab Al Ahli hosted Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal. Kickoff was at 20:00 local time (16:00 GMT), with Shabab Al Ahli needing a win to bolster their Round of 16 chances and Al Hilal aiming to maintain their flawless 18 points from six matches.
Al Hilal, already qualified for the knockouts, entered without star striker Karim Benzema, who was ineligible after playing for Al-Ittihad earlier in the competition. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou also missed training the day before due to a shoulder injury, adding to their challenges. Coach Simone Inzaghi rotated the squad, excluding Benzema, Marcos Leonardo, and Kalidou Koulibaly for technical and physical reasons. The lineup featured Patouillet in goal, with defenders Mari, Tambaki, Akcicek, and Bouabre, midfielders Al-Hawsawi, Kanno, and Hernandez, and forwards Darsi, Nunez, and Mandash.
Shabab Al Ahli, atop the UAE Pro League with 38 points, fielded Almeqbaali in goal, backed by K.S, Planic, Renan, Henrique, Juma, Afagh, Eid, Maksimovic, Bala, and J.M. They missed forward Sardar Azmoun to injury but showed resilience. Al Hilal dominated possession from the start, pressing high, but Shabab Al Ahli's compact defense frustrated their attacks. By halftime, Al Hilal had no shots on target despite territorial control. Live coverage noted: "This has been a frustrating half for the visitors, who haven’t been able to create enough chances in front of goal despite dominating ball possession."
The second half followed suit, with Al Hilal registering five attempts but none on target. A update highlighted: "The 0-0 score line is enough to describe just how important of a signing Karim Benzema is as Al-Hilal fail to even register a shot on target, smashing 5 attempts outside of the frame." Shabab Al Ahli grew confident on counters but couldn't break through. The draw preserved Al Hilal's overall unbeaten run but dashed their perfect group record. For Shabab Al Ahli, the point keeps them in contention, with qualification depending on the final round.
Elsewhere, Al Wahda drew 0-0 with Al Ahli Saudi, and Nasaf Qarshi tied 1-1 with Al Shorta, eliminating the latter. Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Tractor, and Al Wahda are through, intensifying the battle for remaining spots. Inzaghi emphasized momentum: "We want to maintain our momentum and ensure every player is ready for the challenges ahead."
