In the first half of the match, neither side was able to break the deadlock and the score remained tied at 0-0. In the second half, however, Mahrez scored in the 70th minute with an assist from Ivan Toni to make it 1-0, followed by Mahrez in the 74th minute and Ivan Toni in the 74th minute to make it 2-0 for Jeddah National, who lost 1-2 in the 92nd minute despite a goal from Kaku. failed to redeem themselves with a 1-2 defeat.
With the victory, Jeddah National made it five wins in a row and amassed 15 points to leapfrog Riyadh Crescent and top the West Asia Zone standings. With a 13-point lead over 9th-placed Persepolis, they locked up a place in the last 16 three rounds ahead of schedule, becoming the first team to advance to the knockout rounds of this season's AFC Champions League.
In the other marquee match, Tehran Independence and Tashkent Cotton Farmers showed a stalemate. Despite Tehran Independence's 60 percent lead in possession, both sides had limited threats on offense and defense. Tehran Independence took five shots, three of which hit the target, while Tashkent Cotton Farmers also took five shots, none of which hit the target. In the end, both sides shook hands and the score was fixed at 0-0.
The East Asian region is also full of exciting matches. Tonight, four exciting matches will take place in the East Asian region, with Ulsan Hyundai facing Shanghai Harbor (18:00), Kobe Victory versus Chuo Coastal Mariners (18:00), Shandong Taishan versus Johor Bahru (20:00), and Buriram United versus Kawasaki Frontale (20:00).
Shanghai Harbour will face East Asian powerhouse Ulsan Hyundai on the road, who have started the season with four consecutive defeats, and the Chinese Super League champions are expected to capitalize on this opportunity to take all three points. In addition, Shandong Taishan have their home finale of the year with manager Choi Kang-hee sidelined.
