Cristiano Ronaldo showcased a vintage performance, bagging two extraordinary goals that propelled Al Nassr to an exhilarating 4-3 triumph over Al Duhail in the AFC Champions League. Sadio Mane, a former Liverpool striker, and Anderson Talisca, also contributed goals for the Saudi team on a thrilling Tuesday, securing their third consecutive victory in the premier Asian club competition.
Talisca initiated the scoring in Riyadh, striking from the edge of the box in the 25th minute, courtesy of a clever back-heeled setup by the 38-year-old Ronaldo, who exhibited a stunning array of skills. Mane followed up with a skillful turn and precise shot 11 minutes into the second half, giving Al Nassr a seemingly comfortable lead. Ronaldo then added to the spectacle by curling in a sublime third goal from outside the box, making it 3-0 just five minutes later.
However, Al Duhail, inspired by former Barcelona and Liverpool winger Philippe Coutinho, mounted a rapid comeback, netting two goals within the following six minutes through Ismail Mohamad and Almoez Ali, setting the stage for a nail-biting finale.
With a mere nine minutes left on the clock, Ronaldo once again stole the spotlight. He sprinted onto a long pass from Sultan Al Ghannam and expertly volleyed the ball into the net with his left foot, all in one fluid motion. The game took another twist as Michael Olunga pulled one back, bringing the score to 4-3 in the 85th minute, ensuring a tense final few minutes.
Al Duhail manager Christophe Galtier, formerly in charge of French giants Paris Saint-Germain, expressed his admiration, saying, “When you face Ronaldo, there isn’t much you can do. He scored two beautiful goals. I’m at a loss for words to describe him. What he did today is extraordinary for a 38-year-old. He’s still the best player in the world.”
In another fixture, Riyadh-based Al Hilal dominated India’s Mumbai City with a resounding 6-0 victory, even without their injured superstar Neymar. Former Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic contributed with two goals.
In the East zone, defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan suffered an upset at home, falling 2-0 to South Korea’s Pohang Steelers, who scored on either side of half-time through Jeong Jae-hee and Goh Young-jun. Urawa now faces a challenge to qualify for the knockout stages, having secured only four points from their three Group J matches, putting them on par with China’s Wuhan Three Towns, who secured their first win by defeating Hanoi FC 2-1.
Urawa manager Maciej Skorza acknowledged, “Today Pohang was the better team and deserved to win. Especially in the physical aspect, we couldn’t do too much.”
In Group I, Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale continued their winning streak with a 4-2 victory over Thailand’s BG Pathum United, establishing a three-point lead at the top over South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai.
