It’s unfortunate to hear that Al-Nassr was eliminated from the AFC Champions League.
Penalty shootouts can be quite unpredictable, certainly having home advantage can be a boost, especially with the support of their fans. It sounds like Al-Nassr had a challenging task ahead of them, needing to overturn the deficit to advance in the competition.
It seems like Soufiane Rahimi made quite an impact on the match, adding to the pressure on Al-Nassr with his impressive performance and scoring two goals in the first half. His contribution must have made it even more difficult for Al-Nassr to turn the tide in their favor.
Just moments before halftime, with Al-Nassr three goals down on aggregate, Abdulrahman Ghareeb breathed new life into their hopes. The 26-year-old winger capitalized on a mistake by Al-Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa, tapping in from close range after Sadio Mane’s opportunistic play.
In the second half, hope turned into optimism for Al-Nassr as Otavio played a key role in leveling the score at 2-2. Eisa, once again, found himself at fault as he inadvertently directed the ball into his own net from a tight angle following the Portuguese player’s shot.
Cristiano Ronaldo. Credit: Goal
Al-Nassr pressed hard in the late stages of regulation time and had opportunities to take the lead earlier. Another error from Eisa saw him spill the ball directly into Cristiano Ronaldo‘s path just yards from the goal, but the Portuguese forward surprisingly fired wide.
Moments later, Eisa was spared embarrassment as Alex Telles’ free-kick, which seemed more like a cross, deceived him, and he failed to deal with it effectively. Al-Nassr capitalized on the confusion to make it 3-2, forcing the match into extra time.
The momentum shifted against the home side when substitute Ayman Ahmed was shown a red card for a reckless challenge after a VAR review, leaving Al-Nassr with a numerical disadvantage as they pushed for a winner.
Just minutes later, Al-Ain found the back of the net again, this time through Al Shamsi. However, the blame fell on Al-Nassr goalkeeper Raghed Najjar, who mishandled a tame cross, deflecting it onto his own crossbar and leaving an easy tap-in for the substitute.
The dramatic match continued its twists and turns. Ronaldo finally made his mark, converting a penalty in the 118th minute to level the score at 4-3 on the night, forcing the game into a shootout.
Despite their efforts, Al-Nassr fell short in the shootout, with Otavio missing the crucial spot-kick. Al-Ain emerged victorious, progressing with a 3-1 win on penalties.
A chaotic ending of the match
Monday’s defeat marks the end of Al-Nassr’s journey in the AFC Champions League at the quarter-final stage, a stage they haven’t exited at since the 2018-19 season. It’s a disappointing outcome for the team and their fans.
It’s unfortunate to hear about the post-match altercation between the Al-Nassr and Al-Ain players, resulting in a heated confrontation on the pitch that carried over into the dressing room. Such incidents detract from the spirit of the game and should be addressed promptly by the respective authorities.
A video on X capturing the chaos and showing Cristiano Ronaldo involved in altercations with several players were indeed shocking. It’s essential for the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and take appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the sport.