Adetunji brace fires Al-Hilal past Police to reach group stage
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Al-Hilal Omdurman marched into the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage with a 3–1 home win over Kenya’s Police FC on Friday night, completing a 4–1 aggregate victory in the second preliminary round.
Leading 1–0 from last week’s first leg away, the Sudanese giants finished the job in Omdurman thanks to a brace from Sunday Adetunji and a stoppage-time strike from Ahmed Salem.
Hilal settled quickly and dictated the first half with measured possession and repeated switches of play that kept Police pinned back.
The pressure told on 37 minutes when Adetunji rose between defenders to guide a header beyond the goalkeeper for 1–0 on the night and 2–0 on aggregate.
With their cushion doubled across the tie, the hosts controlled the tempo to half-time.
Police emerged from the interval with greater intent and were rewarded on 53 minutes, Erick Zakayo finishing smartly after a rare spell of Kenyan pressure to level the match and halve the overall deficit.
The equaliser asked the first real question of Hilal’s composure in the tie, but the response was immediate and convincing.
Just eleven minutes later the Sudanese side restored their advantage. Adetunji, lively throughout, timed his near-post run to perfection to turn in a low cross and reassert Hilal’s authority at 2–1.
From there the hosts managed the game professionally, squeezing the space between their lines and limiting Police to long-range efforts.
Any lingering doubt was removed deep into stoppage time when Ahmed Salem pounced to make it 3–1, sealing a comfortable night and a convincing 4–1 aggregate passage.
For Al-Hilal, group-stage football now beckons once again as they aim to extend a proud record in Africa’s premier club competition.
