In a riveting Asian Champions League encounter, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr capitalized on their numerical advantage against 10-man Persepolis, securing a 2-0 victory at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Tuesday.
The turning point of the match came seven minutes into the second half when the Iranian hosts suffered a setback. Milad Sarlak received his marching orders after a second bookable offense, having stepped on Ronaldo’s foot during a midfield skirmish.
Ten minutes later, former Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo displayed his playmaking prowess, setting up Marcelo Brozovic in the penalty area. Brozovic’s precise delivery was met by Abdulrahman Ghareeb, whose deflected strike found the back of the net, opening the scoring for Al-Nassr.
In the 72nd minute, Mohammed Qassem doubled Al-Nassr’s lead with a thunderous shot into the roof of Alireza Beiranvand’s net from a tight angle on the left, effectively sealing the victory for the Saudi Pro League side.
Reflecting on the match, Al-Nassr forward Sadio Mane remarked, “It was a good game, even though the first half was a little bit difficult for both teams. We played well in the second half, created some chances, and scored two goals. I think we deserved to win tonight.”
Notably, the game was played in an empty Azadi Stadium, as a ban imposed on Persepolis by the Asian Football Confederation two years ago remained in effect. This unfortunate circumstance deprived thousands of fans, who have ardently followed Ronaldo since his arrival in Tehran, from attending the match.
Al-Nassr’s victory places them at the summit of their group, with a two-point lead over Al-Duhail, coached by Hernan Crespo, after the Qatari club was held to a goalless draw by Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol in Dushanbe.
Meanwhile, in Group A, Al Ain, led by Togo international Kodjo Laba, secured a resounding 3-0 win over Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor. Laba showcased his prowess by scoring twice and assisting in his team’s third goal, which was enough to secure victory for Al Ain.
The game saw Al Ain take an early lead in the 11th minute, with Laba displaying his finesse at the near post, courtesy of a cross from Bandar Al Ahbabi. Khalid Al Baloushi fired crisply into the corner to double the advantage after a midfield mix-up, with Laba providing the assist.
In the 65th minute, Laba put the result beyond doubt, launching a top-corner strike after latching onto Park Yong-woo’s pass.
Al Ain now shares three points with Turkmenistan’s FC Ahal, who secured an unexpected 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Fayha, with Elman Tagayew’s long-range second-half strike proving decisive.
