Cristiano Ronaldo marked his AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) debut with a goal as Al Nassr secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al Rayyan in their group stage encounter at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Portuguese superstar, who missed Al Nassr’s opening ACLE fixture due to a viral infection, looked sharp from the outset. He came agonizingly close to scoring twice within the first 15 minutes, only to be denied by the impressive Brazilian goalkeeper Paolo Victor, who stood firm for Rayyan throughout the first half.
The deadlock was finally broken in the first-half stoppage time when Sadio Mane, with a powerful header, converted Sultan Al-Ghannam’s cross, putting Al Nassr ahead.
After the break, Al Rayyan displayed a more organized defensive approach, limiting Al Nassr’s opportunities and forcing them to play a more narrow game. Ronaldo thought he had scored early in the second half, but his goal was ruled out by VAR after the linesman flagged for offside.
His moment of glory arrived nearly half an hour later when he collected the ball on the right flank and unleashed a stunning left-footed curler into the net, doubling Al Nassr’s lead. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the home fans, and Ronaldo dedicated it to his late father, who would have turned 71 on September 30.
Al Rayyan, however, refused to give up. With just five minutes left in the game, they launched a counter-attack, with Achraf Bencharki delivering a low cross for Roger Guedes who slotted the ball past the Al Nassr goalkeeper, reducing the deficit.
Despite the late goal, Al Rayyan couldn’t find a way to equalize, and Al Nassr held on for a crucial win. This victory propelled Al Nassr to third place in the group standings, while Al Rayyan dropped to second from bottom.
Al Nassr will now return to the Saudi Pro League, where they will host Al Orobah four days later.
