Nunez and Hernandez score for Al-Hilal in Asian Champions League win

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — New signings Darwin Nunez and Theo Hernandez scored in Al-Hilal's 2-1 victory over Al-Duhail of Qatar in the opening round of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.

Nunez and Hernandez, signed by the Saudi club in the summer from Liverpool and AC Milan respectively, scored in the second half after Algerian forward Adil Boulbina had given Al-Duhail the lead after 37 minutes.

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Al-Hilal hung on to give Simone Inzaghi his first Asian win as head coach since the Italian joined from Inter Milan in June.

Fellow Saudi Arabian team and defending champion Al-Ahli came from two goals to beat Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan 4-2 on Monday. French midfielder Enzo Millot scored twice in the second half to level the scoreline in Jeddah and then Riyad Mahrez put Ahli ahead in injury time. Mohammed Sulaiman to add a fourth.

Also Monday, Saudi Pro League champion Al-Ittihad lost 2-1 at Al-Wahda of the United Arab Emirates. Steven Bergwijn put Al-Ittihad ahead in the first half. Al-Wahda came back with second-half goals from Caio Canedo and Lucas Pimenta.

Elsewhere in the western zone — the 24-team tournament is divided into two groups — Iran’s Tractor SC drew 1-1 at Dubai’s Shabab Al-Ahli, UAE's Sharjah defeated Qatar’s Al-Gharafa 4-3, and Al-Shorta of Iraq and Qatar’s Al-Sadd drew 1-1.

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In the east, Sanfrecce Hiroshima won 2-0 at Melbourne City, while Gangwon FC of South Korea was victorious in its first-ever game in the tournament, defeating Shanghai Shenhua 2-1. Japan’s Machida Zelvia, another debutant, drew 1-1 with South Korea’s FC Seoul. Buriram United of Thailand defeated Malaysia’s Johor Darul Tazim 2-1.

The top eight from both groups will advnace to the round of 16.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer