RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot, and Jhon Duran netted a brace as Al Nassr secured a dominant 3-0 win over Esteghlal on Monday, advancing to the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals.
Ronaldo, who was rested for the first leg’s goalless draw in Iran, returned to captain Al Nassr at Al Awwal Park. The Portuguese star opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half, while Duran, a recent signing from Aston Villa, added two goals to seal the victory.
Al Nassr, one of three Saudi Arabian teams to dominate the west region’s group stage, took the lead just nine minutes into the match. Duran capitalized on a loose ball near the edge of the Esteghlal penalty area and expertly chipped it over goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini, marking his first goal in the competition.
The home side doubled their lead in the 27th minute after Sadio Mané, a UEFA Champions League winner with Liverpool, was fouled inside the box by Esteghlal midfielder Zobeir Niknafs. Ronaldo calmly converted the penalty, sending his shot straight down the middle to bring his tally to seven goals in six appearances in this year’s Champions League Elite. The 39-year-old is also the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League this season, with 18 goals.
Esteghlal’s struggles worsened just before halftime when Mehran Ahmadi was sent off. Initially shown a yellow card for an accidental elbow to Al Nassr defender Mohammed Al Fatil’s face, the decision was upgraded to a red card after a VAR review, as Ahmadi had already been booked earlier in the match.
Al Nassr came close to adding a third goal early in the second half. Duran’s initial effort was saved, but Ayman Yahya’s follow-up was cleared off the line. Moments later, Duran struck the crossbar with a powerful long-range shot. However, the Colombian forward eventually secured his second goal of the night, slotting a low shot into the near post after a setup by former Chelsea winger Angelo.
In another AFC Champions League Elite match on Monday, two-time Asian champions Al Sadd advanced to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate victory over UAE champions Al Wasl. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Al Sadd took an early lead through Fabio Lima. The Qatari side then scored three goals in 10 minutes before halftime, with Mostafa Meshaal, Youcef Atal, and reigning Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif finding the net.
Al Nassr’s convincing performance highlights their strong form in the competition, as they continue their quest for continental glory.
