Al Hilal’s victory secured their progression 6-2 on aggregate, setting up a quarter-final against fellow Saudi Pro League outfit, Al Ittihad.

“Sepahan were organised and they were winning the long balls sometimes because of their strikers and this troubled us defensively in the first 30 minutes of the match,” said Jesus, whose team has not won every match in the continental tournament since their opening day 1-1 draw against Navbahor in the group stage.

“We don’t have any pressure to keep the winning streak, because the pressure is always on Al Hilal as everyone expects us to win.”

The four-time Asian champions fell behind to Farshad Ahmadzadeh’s strike in the 54th minute leading to Jesus tinkering with his lineup, sending on Salman Al Faraj, Nasser Al Dawsari and later Abdullah Al Hamddan – a move which paid dividends.

“I told the players before the match that our target is to qualify, regardless of the result.

“Our team felt some pressure because of the heavy schedule, especially in the first half, but in the second half our performance was better after the substitutions.”

Salem Al Dawsari marked his 400th match for Al Hilal with a match-winning performance, and the forward expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support.

“I’m thankful for this victory and for extending the club’s winning streak. Being awarded Player of the Match fills me with happiness, and my passion and aspirations remain strong. Today marks my 400th match with Al Hilal, a milestone I’m immensely proud of.

“Moving forward, I recognise the need to continue working hard and striving for further achievements.

“I always send messages to the fans in the stadium, so that we both support each other during the match, and I thank our fans for their great support today.”

Despite Sepahan reaching the end of their AFC Champions League journey, head coach Jose Morais praised Al Hilal for their resilience and efforts throughout the competition.

“There are no weak points in the Al Hilal team. We prepared ourselves to play as a group using our players’ capabilities, and we managed to compete against Al Hilal several times during the match. I hope the best for them in the coming matches.”