Neymar Embarrassed As Al Hilal Drop Points in AFC Champions League Opener

• Neymar and a star-studded Al-Hilal were held to a Champions League draw by Navbahor
• The Brazilian superstar lost the ball more than any other player in his team’s ACL opener
• Al Hilal's next game in the AFC Champions League will be against Iranian giants Nassaji

Neymar and Al-Hilal will be left to pick up the pieces after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan club, Navbahor Namangan to open Group D in their AFC Champions League campaign.

The eight-time ACL champions were stunned by their Uzbekistan counterparts as they needed a 100th-minute equaliser not to lose their first game of this season’s competition.

According to Sporting News, Al-Hilal was empty of inspiration throughout the 90 minutes of regulation as they attempted to break down the organised Uzbek side.

Toma Tabatadze's 52nd-minute goal nearly gave Navbahor a famous result against the Saudi Arabian club and put them under serious pressure to stay in the competition.

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Unlike the UEFA Champions League, the AFC Champions League only awards automatic qualification to the knockout phase to group winners, while six of the ten runners-up advance to the round of 16.

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Meanwhile, Neymar had a game to forget on his second appearance for Al Hilal with the Brazilian forward losing the ball more than any player on the pitch against Navbahor.

According to Football Transfers, the former Paris Saint-Germain star was bright at times but stymied by persistent but smart fouling, consistently testing the referee’s leniency.

Neymar, who lost the ball 32 times against the Uzbek team, will hope to return to his best form when Al-Hilal takes on Iranian champions, Nassaji in their next ACL match.

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Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Al-Hilal securing a convincing victory over Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League on Friday night.

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The Saudi powerhouse overwhelmed their city rivals, emerging as clear winners in a dominant performance marked by a debut.

Amid all the excitement surrounding the match, the primary focus was on the potential debut of Brazilian sensation Neymar Jr.