Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stellar performance, scoring twice as Al Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa in Qatar on Monday, keeping their AFC Champions League Elite campaign on track.
The win moves the Saudi champions closer to the quarterfinals, with only two points needed from their remaining three group-stage matches to secure progression. Al Nassr’s path to the next round could only be disrupted by Al Shorta, who sit on two points with four games left, after Persepolis and Al Rayyan played to a 1-1 draw.
Ronaldo’s Resilience Pays Off
Ronaldo, 39, endured a frustrating first half at Al Bayt Stadium, missing several opportunities. However, he broke the deadlock just 50 seconds into the second half, heading Sultan Al Ghannam’s pinpoint cross into the net.
Al Nassr doubled their lead in the 58th minute through Angelo Gabriel, a summer acquisition from Chelsea, who later assisted Ronaldo’s second goal six minutes later. The Portuguese star’s brace brought his tally in the competition to four goals before he was substituted in the 74th minute.
Al Gharafa managed to pull one back via Joselu, a former Real Madrid teammate of Ronaldo, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Seydou Sano received a red card for a second yellow in the closing stages.
The victory keeps Al Nassr unbeaten in five matches in the Western division, placing them second in the 12-team standings.
Al Ahli Maintains Perfect Record with Toney’s Heroics
Meanwhile, Al Ahli extended their flawless run in the competition with a hard-fought 2-1 win over reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE. Substitute Ivan Toney, a summer signing from Brentford, scored twice to propel his side to the knockouts for the first time.
Toney entered the game in the 65th minute at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and made an immediate impact. He headed home Riyad Mahrez’s well-placed free-kick within five minutes and added a second four minutes later, finishing off a long pass from Mahrez.
Al Ain responded with a stunning volley from Kaka, but it was not enough to overturn the deficit. The win cements Al Ahli’s position at the top of the Western standings with 15 points from five matches.
Esteghlal Held to Stalemate
In other action, Iran’s Esteghlal and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor Tashkent played out a goalless draw in Dubai, leaving Esteghlal’s chances of advancing hanging in the balance.
The rebranded AFC Champions League continues to deliver exciting football, with Saudi clubs Al Nassr and Al Ahli asserting dominance in the Western draw.
