39-year-old striker Cristiano Ronaldo broke his nine-match scoring streak, while Al Nassr lost 0-1 to host Al Ain in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.
*Scorer: Rahimi 44′
Ronaldo returned to play after a one-match suspension for making an offensive gesture, but he still could not save Al Nassr from defeat. The Portuguese captain finished five times, including a kick from midfield that almost equalized at the end of the match. However, the representative of Saudi Arabia still has many opportunities to advance because they will play at home in the return leg a week later.
Ronaldo in the match Al Nassr lost 0-1 to Al Ain. Photo: ANFC
The first opportunity came for Ronaldo in the sixth minute, when he leaned back and hooked the ball wide of the post. Just one minute after the home team conceded at the end of the first half, the 39-year-old superstar had another chance to volley into the penalty area from a tight angle on the right. His shot was tight and aimed close to the second post, but was pushed away by goalkeeper Al Ain.
A good opportunity for Ronaldo came in the 53rd minute, from Ayman Yahya’s free kick on the right. CR7 volleyed with his right foot from about 7 meters away, but the ball hit his own chest before flying over the bar. He squandered an even better opportunity in the 80th minute. This time he had time and space to shoot from 6 meters away, but was pushed away by the goalkeeper. At the 10th minute of injury time in the second half, he saw the goalkeeper rising and shot from the midfield line, narrowly missing the post. If the ball heads towards the goal, Ronaldo has scored a super goal.
In addition to the misses, Ronaldo also attracted attention with his dribble but stumbled, his body leaned forward, and the ball stayed behind. He jerked back to get the ball, but an Al Ain player rushed in and knocked him down. The UAE audience then continued to chant Lionel Messi’s name to provoke captain Al Nassr, when he missed the opportunity to score for the 10th consecutive match.
On the way out of the field after the match, the home crowd continued to chant Messi to mock Ronaldo. This time, the Portuguese player replied: “See you in Riyadh”, then raised his finger and smiled brightly.
Al Nassr will be without midfielder Aymeric Laporte in the second leg, as he received a red card at the end of the first leg. Because the away goals rule no longer applies in the tournament, Al Nassr only needs to win in the return leg to avoid elimination. If they reach the semi-finals, they will meet Al Hilal or Al Ittihad.
