Al-Nassr’s Impressive Win
Cristiano Ronaldo played a crucial role as Al-Nassr triumphed over reigning champions Al-Ain with a resounding 5-1 victory in the Asian Champions League Elite on Tuesday. This commanding win significantly jeopardizes Al-Ain’s chances of progressing to the knockout stages, leaving them at the bottom of their group.
Key Moments of the Match
The victory marks Al-Nassr’s third win in four matches, propelling them to third place in their group, just two points behind fellow Saudi teams Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli. The top eight teams from both the west and east sides of Asia will move on to the last 16 in March. Al-Ain, who knocked out Al-Nassr last season on their way to the title, now sits with only one point from four games.
Talisca’s Early Strike and Ronaldo’s Contribution
Al-Nassr wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Anderson Talisca scoring the opener just five minutes into the match. Talisca’s long-range shot beat Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa. Ronaldo then doubled the lead in the 31st minute, seizing on a mistake by Eisa after a shot from Sadio Mane. Just six minutes later, Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel extended the lead to 3-0 with a deflected shot that left Eisa stranded.
Al-Ain’s Brief Resurgence
Al-Ain managed to respond shortly after halftime when Park Yong-woo’s long-range strike hit the post and inadvertently bounced off Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento into the net. However, Al-Nassr quickly regained control of the match. Wesley scored in the 81st minute to make it 4-1, and Talisca capped off the victory with his second goal during injury time.
Other Group Updates
In other group news, Qatari side Al-Rayyan climbed off the bottom of the standings with their first points of the campaign, defeating Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor 1-0 thanks to a surprising long punt from Hazem Shehata that found the back of the net.
Looking Ahead
With three matches remaining in the league phase, Al-Nassr aims to keep their momentum going, while Al-Ain faces a daunting challenge to salvage their campaign.
