Cristiano Ronaldo led Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club to a 2-1 victory over Al Rayyan SC in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25, marking the team’s first win in the tournament. The win also marked head coach Stefano Pioli’s debut in continental club football in Asia. Ronaldo, who missed the opener against Al Shorta, was heavily involved in the game, testing Al Rayyan’s keeper multiple times. Sadio Mane also had his chances, with Al Nassr dominating the game from the start.
Al Rayyan had their opportunities as well, with Roger Guedes forcing a save from Al Nassr’s keeper Bento Krepski. Despite the chances for both teams, it was Al Nassr who broke the deadlock just before halftime. Sultan Al Ghannam provided a pinpoint cross for Mane to head it past Al Rayyan’s keeper, giving Al Nassr a 1-0 lead going into the break. Ronaldo thought he had doubled the lead early in the second half, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
With fresh energy injected into Al Nassr’s attack through Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Wesley Teixeira, Ronaldo was able to score a left-footed curling finish in the 76th minute, extending the lead to 2-0. Although Al Rayyan managed to pull one back through Guedes in the 87th minute, it wasn’t enough to prevent Al Nassr from claiming the win. The victory secured four points for Al Nassr in the tournament, while Al Rayyan remains without a win.
The next match for Al Nassr will be against Esteghlal FC on October 22, while Al Rayyan will face Al Ahli Saudi FC a day earlier. With Ronaldo leading the charge, Al Nassr will look to build on their success in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 and continue their winning streak. Pioli’s debut in continental club football in Asia has been successful so far, and Al Nassr will aim to make a strong impression in the tournament under his leadership. The team’s performance against Al Rayyan has set a positive tone for their future matches in the competition.
