Saudi Arabian giants Al Nassr secured a hard-fought win over United Arab Emirates’s Shabab Al Ahli in Riyadh on Tuesday evening (August 23). The 4-2 comeback win within the qualifier allowed Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. to e book a spot within the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
Al Nassr bought their noses in entrance after solely 11 minutes of play, with Anderson Talisca heading house Marcelo Brozovic’s inch-perfect nook. The guests, nevertheless, refused to again down and leveled the rating simply seven minutes later. Yahya Al Ghassani utilized a right-footed end from shut vary to equalize for Shabab Al Ahli.
The Saudi membership discovered themselves in a large number simply two minutes into the break when Al Ghassani produced one other wonderful striker and put his staff in entrance.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr performed wonderful soccer within the dying embers
Having been on the again foot for many of the recreation, Al Nassr sprung again to life within the closing moments of Tuesday’s decider. Sultan Al Ghanam scored a high-quality header off Ayman Ahmed’s supply within the 89th minute, bringing the rating to 2-2. Six minutes into damage time, Ahmed popped up with one other second of magic, this time establishing Talisca for the go-ahead aim. The Saudi Professional League membership bought the insurance coverage aim within the seventh minute of damage time, with Ronaldo establishing Brozovic with a slide rule move.
Courtesy of their 4-2 victory on the KSU Soccer Subject, Al Nassr have booked their place in Wednesday’s (August 23, 4:00 PM ET) AFC Champions League group stage attract Kuala Lumpur. Alongside Ronaldo’s males, Saudi sides Al Hilal and Al Ittihad have additionally secured passage into the group stage of the continent’s most prestigious competitors.
Ronaldo noticed three penalty shouts waved off in opposition to Shahab Al Ahli
Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t get on the scoresheet in Tuesday’s essential conflict in Riyadh, nevertheless it was not for lack of attempting. He saved making inroads into the opposition field and at all times seemed for tactics to check the keeper. Al Nassr followers additionally thought that their talisman ought to have had three penalties in opposition to the UAE outfit, as he was intentionally blocked by the defenders.
Within the first occasion, which came about within the first 10 minutes of the primary half, noticed the 38-year-old body-checked by two defenders contained in the field. The referee dismissed his penalty declare and requested him to hold on.
Quantity of Penalty fouls on Ronaldo: 3
Quantity of Penalties given to Ronaldo: 0 pic.twitter.com/aAt6mQg1fB
— GC (@GettyCristiano) August 22, 2023
Then, in first-half damage time, Ronaldo was as soon as once more body-checked when reducing in from the left, and it appeared like there was clear contact from the defender. The referee, unmoved, requested the Actual Madrid legend to drop the enchantment. The final shout got here within the second half when his shot from an acrobatic overhead kick deflected off a defender’s outstretched arm and went out of hurt’s manner. The referee remained unaffected and turned the No. 7 down for the third time on the evening.
