Al Ain Prevails Over Al-Nassr in AFC Champions League Drama Following Cristiano Ronaldo's Decisive Moment
Al-Nassr's journey in the AFC Champions League comes to a heartbreaking end as Al Ain emerges victorious in a nail-biting encounter that culminated in a penalty shootout. Cristiano Ronaldo's pivotal moment and Al-Nassr's exit mark a thrilling chapter in this intense competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, Al-Nassr, was eliminated from the AFC Champions League after a exciting match against Al Ain ended in a 4-4 tie before Al Ain won in a penalty shootout.
The game on Monday was intense and could have gone either way. Ronaldo may be disappointed with a missed opportunity in the second half that could have helped Al-Nassr advance to the semifinals.
"Thank you for your support," the 39-year-old forward expressed gratitude on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the match. "We'll find a way to bounce back and come back stronger! Together, always!"
After Al Ain secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg, the visiting team made a remarkable start in Riyadh with two first-half goals from Soufiane Rahimi. His precise finish had made the crucial difference between the teams in the previous week.
Al-Nassr managed to score a goal just before halftime. This happened when Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa made a mistake and found himself out of position. As a result, Sadio Mané was able to pass the ball to Abdulrahman Ghareeb, who easily scored.
Ronaldo was the only Al-Nassr player to score in the penalty shootout.
Ronaldo was the only Al-Nassr player to score in the penalty shootout.
Fayez Nureldine/AF/Getty Images
Eisa made another mistake at the beginning of the second half. Otávio's cross hit his legs and went into the net for an own goal, making it 3-2 on aggregate.
Ronaldo had a great opportunity to tie the game. However, he missed the target from close range after Eisa's save deflected the ball into his path.
Al-Nassr scored again in the first half thanks to Alex Telles' free-kick, which managed to find its way through a crowded box and past Eisa.
As the game headed into extra time, the home team faced a setback when Ayman Yahya received a red card for a reckless tackle. Shortly after, Sultan Al-Shamsi extended the lead to 4-3 on aggregate by tapping in a rebound off the crossbar following Raghed Al-Najjar's impressive save.
Ronaldo had two shots saved by Eisa in quick succession. However, he was later fouled in the box and successfully converted the penalty, bringing the aggregate score to 4-4.
Al Ain players celebrate their dramatic victory.
Al Ain players celebrate their dramatic victory.
Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
The thrilling match ended in a penalty shootout after both teams were unable to break the deadlock. Despite Ronaldo scoring for Al-Nassr, Otávio, Telles, and Marcelo Brozović all missed their penalties, granting Al Ain a memorable victory.
After 21 years, Al Ain is on the hunt for their first AFC Champions League title. Their next challenge in the semifinals will be against another Saudi Arabian team, either Al-Hilal or Al-Ittihad.
Editor's P/S:
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr's elimination from the AFC Champions League is a disappointment for the Portuguese superstar, who had high hopes of winning his first Asian title. The game was intense and could have gone either way, but Al Ain's victory in the penalty shootout was a testament to their resilience and determination.
Ronaldo had a great opportunity to tie the game in the second half, but he missed the target from close range. This miss could prove to be costly for Al-Nassr, as they were unable to capitalize on their momentum and eventually lost the match. Despite the disappointment, Ronaldo remains optimistic and has expressed his gratitude to the fans for their support. He is confident that the team will bounce back and come back stronger in the future. semifinal match against Al-Hilal or Al-Ittihad promises to be another thrilling encounter, and it will be fascinating to see how Al Ain performs under pressure.
