In a surprising turn of events during Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League clash with Al-Ain on Monday night, Cristiano Ronaldo, despite maintaining a prolific goal-scoring form in the Saudi Pro League, inexplicably missed a crucial opportunity from three yards out.
The 39-year-old Portuguese forward, leading the Saudi Pro League scoring charts with 22 goals in 21 appearances this season, faced an unexpected setback in the continental competition.
Al-Nassr, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, conceded two early goals, making their task of progressing to the semi-finals even more challenging.
A first-half stoppage-time goal by Abdulrahman Ghareeb narrowed the deficit, and a Khalid Eisa own goal leveled the score on the night, setting the stage for Ronaldo to make an impact.
Ronaldo astonishing miss
However, on the hour mark, Ronaldo found himself in a promising position, responding swiftly to a rebound off the goalkeeper.
To the disbelief of the Al-Nassr fans and his teammates, the usually clinical striker missed the target, putting the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.
The Al-Awwal Stadium witnessed a collective sense of dismay, with Ronaldo covering his face in horror at the unexpected turn of events as posted by CBSSportsGolazo on X.
As the match progressed into extra time, Al-Nassr faced further setbacks with Ayman Yahya receiving a straight red card. Despite the odds, Al-Ain managed to score, restoring their lead in the tie and ultimately securing victory.
The shocking miss by Ronaldo became a pivotal moment in the match, overshadowing his remarkable goal-scoring record in the Saudi Pro League this season.
