Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in the Asian Champions League, helping Al-Nassr secure a 3-1 comeback victory against Istiklol in Group E. The Riyadh-based team was trailing at halftime after Senin Sebai scored for Istiklol. However, Ronaldo, who netted for the seventh consecutive match, found the back of the net in the second half, and Anderson Talisca added two more goals to seal the win for Al-Nassr.
Despite having over 80% possession and nine attempts on target in the first half, Al-Nassr went into halftime a goal down. Ronaldo, who had several attempts, was unable to break through the defense. Abdulrahman Ghareeb came close with a long-range effort that hit the woodwork. Sebai’s shot just before halftime should have been a straightforward save, but it slipped through the goalkeeper’s fingers.
In the second half, Al-Nassr continued to press, with Ronaldo finally scoring 13 minutes in. He delicately lifted the loose ball into the net from close range. Talisca then headed the team into the lead, and he added another goal with a curled shot.
The victory put Al-Nassr in a strong position in Group E, and a third consecutive win in the next match against Qatar’s Al-Duhail would significantly boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.
