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when Uruguayan Milesi knocked the ball in off a rebound from a failed earlier attempt by Nawaf al-Abid.
But Al Rayyan stormed back in stunning fashion in the 55th minute thanks to captain Rodrigo Tabata’s defence splitting run down the middle culminating in a brilliant finish from Sebsatian Soria.
Tabata, one of the many naturalised South American born stars playing for the Qatar national team, then helped Al Rayyan go ahead with another great piece of individual brilliance in the 59th minute.
Receiving the ball from a throw-in on the right, the versatile midfielder executed a measured left-footed chip from far that left the Al Hilal goalkeeper Abdulla al-Maiouf completely flummoxed.
Al Hilal equalised through Khribin in the 66th minute and then took a 3-2 lead in the 73rd with Milesi netting his second goal from just outside the box with a powerful shot to the top right corner of the net.
Al Rayyan, however, were not finished yet and as tempers frayed former Barcelona player Sergio Garcia made good on an assist by Tabata to fire past alMaiouf in the 82nd minute to draw level.
Al Hilal, however, grabbed the winner just two minutes later with Khribin following a headed pass by Mohamed Jahfali after a corner.
In Group C, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli confirmed their place in the knockout phase as they handed Iran’s Zobahan a 2-0 defeat.
Al Ahli took all three points to secure second place and set up a last 16 meeting with the winners of Group A, which was to be determined yesterday.
After a goalless first-half, Abdulfattah Asiri gave Al Ahli the lead in the 63rd minute and, with six minutes remaining, Amiri Kurdi put the result beyond a doubt when he slid in to score from six yards out.
UAE giants Al Ain had already qualified but they ensured they topped the group with a 3-0 win over Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan.
Omar Abdulrahman scored one goal and contributed in the other two at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
Nassir al-Shamrani scored with a low shot to put the hosts ahead from an Abdulrahman pass in the 34th minute.
Abdulrahman then added his name to the scoresheet with a well-struck free-kick in the 77th minute before Ibrahim Diaky rounded off the win in injury time by heading home an Abdulrahman corner in stoppage time. AFP