New Delhi: In a thrilling display, Cristiano Ronaldo led Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr to a powerful 5-1 victory over reigning champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite. The win left the title holders with the hope of reaching the knockout stages in jeopardy. After three goalless appearances, the Portuguese star netted Al Nassr’s second goal at Al Awwal Park and reignited the stadium with excitement.
The night began with Brazilian midfielder Anderson Talisca firing a low drive past Al Ain’s Khalid Eisa just five minutes in, putting pressure on Al Ain’s defense. From that point, Al Nassr’s offensive momentum seemed unstoppable. Only 26 minutes later, Ronaldo took full advantage of an error when Eisa couldn’t hold onto a shot from Sadio Mane and the Portuguese strike took the advantage and pounced on the loose ball. The stadium erupted as Ronaldo celebrated, marking a pivotal moment in Al Nassr’s campaign.
CRISTIANO RONALDO HAS NOW SCORED 908 CAREER GOALS. pic.twitter.com/GRPkiY1PwW
— Iconic Football (@ikonikfutbol) November 5, 2024
With this goal, Ronaldo’s career tally reached 908. For Al Nassr, he has scored 74 goals and provided 18 assists in 84 appearances. He also shared the moments from match on his social media with a caption- ‘Big win’.
Big win! 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/Yf6vPy0wje
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) November 5, 2024
Seeking revenge following last season’s quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel continued the onslaught, netting a third goal after a deflection off Fabio Cardoso left Eisa unable to react. Al Ain managed to get onto the scoreboard in the second half with Park Yong-woo’s strike bouncing off the post and then off Al Nassr’s goalkeeper Bento to give them a glimmer of hope.
However, Al Nassr quickly responded with another goal eliminating any chance of a comeback. With nine minutes left on the clock, Wesley struck and restored Al Nassr’s dominant lead. Later, Talisca sealed the night with a late goal in injury time and ended the match with a dominating scoreline of 5-1.
With this win Stefano Pioli’s side Al Nassr now holds third place in the standings edging closer to a coveted spot in the last 16. Meanwhile, the defending champions Al Ain face an uphill battle to escape the bottom of the table.
