Kessie's double leads Al-Ahli to victory in Asian Champions League

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ELITE MATCH BETWEEN AL AHLI AND AL GHARAFA RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 20, 2025) (AFC – See restrictions before use) AL-AHLI (WHITE AND GREEN) V AL-GHARAFA (BLUE AND YELLOW) 1. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WALKING OUT AND SHAKING HANDS FIRST HALF 2. GOAL! (32’) AL-AHLI WINGER, MATHEUS GONCALVES, FINDS MIDFIELDER, ENZO MILLOT, WHO FIRES IT IF OFF THE CROSS BAR. AL-AHLI LEAD 1-0 3. REPLAY OF GOAL 4. GOAL! (38’) GONCALVES AGAIN WITH THE ASSIST, THIS TIME HE SETS UP MIDFIELDER, FRANCK KESSIE, WHO HEADS IT HOME. AL-AHLI LEAD 2-0 5. REPLAY OF GOAL 6. GOAL! (41’) KESSIE PICKS UP A PASS INSIDE THE BOX AND SCORE HIS SECOND. AL-AHLI LEAD 3-0 7. REPLAY OF GOAL SECOND HALF 8. GOAL! (76’) AL-AHLI MAKE A BREAK, THE GOALKEEPER COMES OUT OF THE GOAL AND WINGER, SALEH ABU AL-SHAMAT, BEATS HIM AND SHOOTS INTO AN EMPTY GOAL. AL-AHLI LEAD 4-0 9. REPLAY OF GOAL 10. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS AT FULL-TIME STORY: Defending champions Al-Ahli cruised to a 4-0 win over Qatar's Al-Gharafa in Jeddah on Monday (October 20) to move to the top of the Asian Champions League Elite standings as fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad picked up their first victory of the campaign. Former Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie scored twice after Enzo Millot had given Al-Ahli the lead at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in a devastating first-half performance by Matthias Jaissle's side. Millot put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute when he hooked in a close-range volley via the underside of the crossbar and Kessie added the second six minutes later with a towering header. The Ivorian scored the third before half-time when he charged through the defence to pick up a return pass from Riyad Mahrez and slotted in. Saleh Abu Al-Shamat rolled in the fourth 14 minutes from time. Al-Ahli moved on to seven points from three games in the western league phase of the competition, with the top eight finishers advancing to March's knockout rounds. Al-Ahli are level on seven points with Al-Wahda from the UAE, who fought back from a goal down to Qatar's Al-Duhail to pick up a 3-1 win in Abu Dhabi, with goals from Brahima Diarra and Ala Zouhir securing the points for the home side. Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal are third in the 12-team standings on six points from two games and will face Al-Sadd from Qatar on Tuesday (October 21).  (Production: Kurt Michael Hall)

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