Cristiano Ronaldo scores his first AFC Champions League goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Qatar’s Al Rayyan to help new Al Nassr manager Stefano Pioli form a triumphant start to the contest.
Sadio Mane presented Nassr the lead at Al Awwal Park in a first-half halt opportunity, the departed Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward meeting Sultan Al Ghannam’s excellent deep cross to head home from a short distance.
Ronaldo, making his first performance in the rebranded AFC Champions League, missed last week’s 1-1 opening draw against Iraqi club Al Shorta accompanying disease, and had a goal prohibited for narrow offside at the start of the second half.
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Al Nassr win two in two
Undeterred, the five-time UEFA Champions League winner doubled Nassr’s benefit in 76 minutes when he took Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s pass and curled a dazzling left-footed strike into the net. The hosts were likely a scare late on, though, Brazilian Roger Guedes nicked off Aschraf Bencharki’s low centre at the back post. Still, Al Nassr was aware and managed four points from two matches.
Success persists in Nassr’s fine start under former AC Milan manager Pioli, who replaced Luis Castro in the dugout following the opening Champions League draw against Al Shorta. The Riyadh giants have now won all four counterparts across all competitions under the Italian.
Cristiano Ronaldo post
Ronaldo admired his team’s performance with a post on Instagram, calligraphy: “Hard work pays off. Let’s keep going!”
Nassr is now third in the new-look AFC Champions League Elite league layout, even though four of the 12 clubs contending in the West domain group have yet to play their second matches, containing defending champion Al Ain and Saudi Pro League winner Al Hilal.
Al Nassr and other major results
Meanwhile, 2011 Asian champions Al Sadd of Qatar secured a 2-0 win against Iran’s Esteghlal at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. An own goal from visiting goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini and an Akram Afif penalty settled the tie. Also on Monday, Iran’s Persepolis were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Pakhtakor FC despite taking a first-minute lead at Shahr-E Qods Stadium in Qods.
Nassr resumes Pro League assignments accompanying a home match against Al Orobah. In the Champions League, their next task is a trip to Tehran to face Iranian side Esteghlal on October 22. The Asian Champions League Elite features 24 teams – 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia. With each club performing four matches at home and four away, the top eight on each side of the draw progress to the knockout stages early next year. Teams from the West and East can first meet each other in the quarter-finals. The concluding winners receive $10 million in prize money, an increase from $4 million last season.
Cristiano Ronaldo deals and retirement
Portuguese star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is available to extend his contract with Saudi club Al Nassr. Al Nassr has opened extensions and new contract talks with its captain, as his current deal with the club will expire in 2025, accompanying the end of the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League.
The 39-year-old, after leaving Manchester United in December 2022, signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Al Nassr worth $200 million a year. The Saudi club is convinced that the five-time Ballon d’Or award winner will end his famous career with Al Nassr even Ronaldo has hinted that he will doubtless play the last match of his career with the Riyadh-based side.
