Doha: Defending champions Al Hilal will take on Urawa Red Diamonds in the AFC Champions League™ 2022 final after Ramon Diaz’s side beat Qatar’s Al Duhail on Sunday with Odion Ighalo hitting four in a comprehensive 7-0 semi-final win at Al Thumama Stadium.

Ighalo gave Al Hilal the perfect start, nodding in the easiest of finishes after Mohammed Kanno’s persistence saw the Saudi Arabia international cut through the defence of an Al Duhail side hit by the late withdrawal due to injury of talismanic Belgian Edmilson Junior.

Former Manchester United striker Ighalo could have doubled the lead by the fifth minute, only to find the hands of Salah Zakaria while Nam Tae-hee rifled over the bar at the other end as Al Duhail sought to ensure the game was a contest.

Ighalo’s second, however, extinguished any sense the Qataris could challenge.

The Nigerian applied the finishing touch at the end of a sweeping move in the 10th minute that saw Jang Hyun-soo feed Michael Oliveira on the right from deep and the Brazilian scampered down the line before teeing up Ighalo to score.

Barely four minutes later a rampaging Al Hilal added a third after Salman Al Faraj released Salem Al Dawsari down the left and his ball into the area was dispatched with glee by Marega.

The Mali international threatened to claim his second, heading over the bar before seeing another goal-bound attempted push around the post by Zakaria.

In the 27th minute Marega did score again, claiming Al Hilal’s fourth when he capitalised on poor defending following Abdullah Al Muaiouf’s long punt forward, the striker calmly sliding his shot home.

Both sides continued to create chances, with Olunga’s shot tipped over the bar by Al Muaiouf and Al Dawsari firing wide after yet another rapid-fire Al Hilal break cut the Al Duhail defence apart.

Al Dawsari made amends in the 38th minute when he stroked home after being found by Marega’s backheel, slotting his right-foot shot past Zakaria.

Ighalo completed his hat-trick when he coolly clipped the ball over Zakaria after he was fed by Al Dawsari and he hit his fourth of the night when he side-footed Abdullah Al Hamdan’s cut-back into the corner in the 62nd minute to put a cap on the most comprehensive of wins.

Source: Qatar Football Association