The result saw two-time AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal topping Group D with 16 points, with Uzbekistan’s Navbahor also advancing to the Round of 16.
Islamic Republic of Iran’s Nassaji ended their debut campaign in third place with six points. Jesus said he was keen on seeing just how focused the Saudi Arabian side would be for the match, having already sealed their place in the Round of 16.
“We knew that the result of the match would not affect our qualification to the next round, but we entered the match with the goal of winning, and we gave players like Saleh Al Shehri and Abdullah Al Hamdan the opportunity to get more minutes.
“We play a lot of matches over short periods of time, so player rotation is important,” said Jesus, with Al Hilal now shifting their focus to the Saudi Pro League 2023/24 where they hold a seven-point lead at the top. Nassaji head coach Mehdi Rahmati said the experience of playing against Asia’s best can only help his players’ development.
آخرین مطالب
“We faced the best team in Asia. We tried to play in the best possible way, and we were equal to them. My players gave a wonderful performance, and we had a lot to offer.
“I congratulate Al Hilal for the victory, they deserved it. If we had some players with Al Hilal’s quality, we might have had a greater chance of qualifying.”
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