Ronaldo Shines as Al Nassr Secures 2-1 Victory Over Al Rayyan in AFC Champions League Opener

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Al Nassr to 2-1 Victory Over Al Rayyan in AFC Champions League

In a thrilling AFC Champions League match on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive goal as Al Nassr from Saudi Arabia overcame Al Rayyan of Qatar with a score of 2-1. This victory marked a strong start for Al Nassr in the Elite group stage.

After missing the previous match against Al-Shorta of Iraq due to a viral infection, Ronaldo made a notable return to the pitch. Though he initially had a goal disallowed for offside, he found the back of the net with a stunning shot into the top corner with just 14 minutes left to play. Earlier, Sadio Mané, the former Liverpool star, had put Al Nassr ahead just before halftime with a powerful header.

Al Rayyan made a late push when Roger Guedes scored from close range in the 87th minute, but Al Nassr managed to maintain their lead and secure all three points, inching closer to their goal of winning their first Asian title.

In other matches, Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia celebrated a 2-0 victory against Al-Wasl of the UAE, with Riyad Mahrez netting his first goal of the season. The Algerian winger, who joined from Manchester City in 2023, opened the scoring early on and assisted Ibanez’s header shortly before the halftime whistle.

Meanwhile, Al-Sadd of Qatar triumphed over Esteghlal of Iran with a 2-0 win, while Tehran's Persepolis played to a 1-1 draw against Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan.

The competition features 24 teams divided into two groups of 12, with the top eight from each group advancing to the knockout stage.

Ronaldo Shines as Al Nassr Secures 2-1 Victory Over Al Rayyan in AFC Champions League Opener