Neymar plays first game after year-long injury layoff

Neymar enjoyed his long-awaited return to professional football on Monday night, coming on in a second-half cameo for Al Hilal 370 days after tearing his ACL.

The 32-year-old forward sustained the serious damage to his knee whilst on international duty with Brazil a year ago, pulling up on the cusp of half-time during a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay. Neymar had only completed his 90m (�77.6m) move to Al Hilal two months earlier, making five appearances and scoring just one goal for the dominant continental force before he was put out of action.

More than 12 months later, the club's record signing was back on the pitch. Neymar was afforded just the final 13 minutes of a bonkers AFC Champions League group game against Al Ain, watching on from the touchline as Salem Al Dawsari completed his hat-trick to put the visitors into a 5-3 lead, before replacing Nasser Al-Dawsari.

Within five minutes of Neymar's introduction, Al Hilal centre-back Ali Al Bulayhi was sent off, forcing the Saudi champions to defend their lead for the remainder of the contest.

The Brazilian spearheaded a late counter-attack, exchanging passes with Aleksandar Mitrovic before drilling a low left-footed shot towards the far corner which Al Ain's Khalid Eisa did very well to tip beyond the post.