NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Salem Aldawsari scored in the 22nd minute and Al Hilal beat Pachuca 2-0 on Thursday night to clinch a berth in the Club World Cup round of 16.
Marcus Leonardo also scored for Al Hilal, the only team outside Europe and the Americas to advance out of group play.
Al Hilal will next face English club Manchester City on Monday in Orlando, Florida.
Aldawsari, attacking from the left, scored with the ball bouncing off his right foot and soaring over the head of Pachuca goalie Sebastian Jurado to the right side of the goal.
The game drew 14,147 to Geodis Park, which has a capacity of 30,000.
As Pachuca kept trying to keep the pace up, Leonardo scored his first goal of the tournament in the last minute of extra time, dribbling swiftly past Jurado and sending a left-footed shot in to secure Al Hilal's spot in the round of 16.
Al Hilal is the second team from Group H to move on, as Real Madrid clinched through a 3-0 victory against RB Salzburg.
Pachuca ended the tournament winless.
“These are not easy games, and we are in the Club World Cup so every team that is here they have potential. It was a hard game...so clean sheet and the win and we are through. That's the most important.” - Ruben Neves of Al Hilal
“Every player wants to score, my goal was ambitious, and scoring was the cherry on top.” - Salem Aldawsari of Al Hilal
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Pachuca's Agustin Palavecino, left, and Al-Hilal's Nasser Al-Dawsari battle for the ball during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Johnnie Izquierdo)
Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly, right, and Pachuca's Agustin Palavecino compete for the ball during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Al-Hilal's Marcos Leonardo, left, and Pachuca's Agustin Palavecino fight for the ball during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Al Hilal and CF Pachuca in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Johnnie Izquierdo)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Sunday night.
Wembanyama's 21 first-half points set an NBA record for the most in the opening half of an NBA playoff debut since the league's play-by-play era began in 1997. His 35 total points set a Spurs franchise record for the most in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 in 1998.
“It is obviously different, but we’ve been really good in the regular season,” Wembanyama said. “So, we have no reason to act differently or do anything different.”
Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio before the series heads to Portland for Games 3 and 4.
Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox each added 17 points and combined for 15 assists for San Antonio.
Deni Avdija had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead Portland, which beat Phoenix 114-110 in Tuesday’s play-in game to earn the No. 7 seed.
Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, added 18 points.
The Spurs responded to the Trail Blazers' physicality while holding them to 10-for-38 shooting on 3-pointers and had a 45-38 rebounding advantage.
“The Spurs put you in tough positions,” Portland coach Tiago Splitter said. “Against them, you've got to shoot the ball well from 3s. We didn't. We've got to shoot the ball better.”
The Spurs and the sell-out crowd — which included Duncan and former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson sitting together courtside — at the Frost Bank Center were primed for the franchise’s first playoff game since 2019. The six-season postseason drought came immediately after San Antonio won five NBA championships while appearing in a league-tying 22 straight postseasons.
Spurs fans are again dreaming big — and it’s because of their 7-foot-4 post player from France who is a finalist for the NBA's MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Wembanyama’s highlights included dribbling behind his back to avoid Avdija at halfcourt, backing him down to the top of the key, spinning around him and running free to the rim for a two-handed dunk midway through the first quarter.
San Antonio clamped down defensively to regain their double-digit lead in the third quarter, with Devin Vassell blocking Donovan Clingan and Jrue Holiday while scoring eight straight points.
“That’s what we’ve talked about, just not giving up on the play,” Vassell said. “Every possession matters, whether it’s the first possession in the first quarter or the last possession in the fourth quarter. Play to the whistle.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a play against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) scores over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) drives against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) scores over Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the first half in Game 1 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
