Ronaldo's Al-Nassr triumph over Persepolis in Asian Champions League opener
Posted : 20 September 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr capitalized on their numerical advantage against 10-man Persepolis in Tehran's Azadi Stadium, securing a 2-0 victory as they launched their Asian Champions League campaign.
The turning point came when Milad Sarlak of Persepolis received a second yellow card early in the second half for stepping on Ronaldo's foot during a midfield clash. Ten minutes later, Ronaldo set up Marcelo Brozovic in the penalty area, who provided the assist for Abdulrahman Ghareeb's goal with a deflected strike.
In the 72nd minute, Mohammed Qassem extended Al-Nassr's lead with a powerful shot into the roof of Alireza Beiranvand's net from a tight angle. The match was played in an empty Azadi Stadium due to a ban on Persepolis imposed by the Asian Football Confederation, preventing fans from attending.
Al-Nassr's victory places them at the top of their group, two points ahead of Al-Duhail, who played to a 0-0 draw against FC Istiklol in Group E. In Group A, Al Ain secured a 3-0 win over Pakhtakor, with Kodjo Laba contributing two goals and an assist.
Laba opened the scoring in the 11th minute, played a part in the second goal, and sealed the win with a superb shot in the 65th minute. Al Ain shares three points with FC Ahal, who won 1-0 against Al Fayha, thanks to Elman Tagayew's long-range strike.
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