Miscellaneous

Again, al-Hilal have failed to impress at in the ACL, but nevertheless they are through to the knock-out stage for the first time in their history. I was traveling, so I could not watch the match, but those who did said it was very dull and boring. Glad I didn't miss much. Some critics, such as Khalaf Melfi, wondered if the team are going to be able to continue their Asian journey with a performance like that, but I believe the team would return in a better shape after the summer.

Back in Riyadh, rumor has it that al-Shelhoub's season is over as his calf injury would prevent him from taking part in the league final on June 1. The injury is certainly a hit to Paqueta's squad, and the Brazilian coach must be frustrated over the bad news. Al-Shelhoub does not only give the team a technical edge, but also contributes to improving the team morale when other players feel down. He is a nice guy with the right attitude. After missing the chance to display his extraordinary talent at the 2006 World Cup due to his mother's death, this could be another disappointment for No. 10.

In other news, SAFF have decided to finish the controversy over an allegedly missed drugs.aspxtest for Yassir in an unusual fashion: the GS office published a statement on their website saying the news are totally false, and the document circulated in the media is fake. It is good that SAFF are finally using their website, but what was striking is how low some people would go just to hurt al-Hilal in any possible way. I mean: faking an official document? This is pathetic. Grow up. Get a life. It is football for God's sake. Please don't pollute sports with your crap.

Asian Nostalgia

As Wednesday approaches, I bet that many fans are reminiscing the golden memories of their team's Asian glories. On the eve of April 25, Al-Hilal will take on Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor at King Fahad International Stadium in Riyadh, kick-off at 20.45.

We need to win, and we need to score at least three goals. Some might say any victory will do regardless of the result, but I really believe that if we were not to take the advantage of playing in home we might regret it later. A big win on Wednesday means we will be much more comfortable when we play our last match in the group against Kuwait Club away. The team is in good shape and the spirits are high, and with Al-Taib back from injury we should be able to keep our good form.