Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr squad defeated Iranian club Persepolis 2-0 on Tuesday in Tehran in Cristiano Ronaldo’s first game in the Asian Champions League.
The Asian Football Confederation ordered Persepolis to play without supporters for one game after Indian team Goa protested over an insulting social media post made by the club in 2021. As a result, the game was played inside an empty Azadi Stadium.
As a result, Iranian supporters were denied the opportunity to see Ronaldo and other high-profile additions to the Saudi Arabian squad, including as Sadio Mane and Marcelo Brozovic. But Saudi Arabian players scored both goals.
On the hour mark, Abdulrahman Ghareeb scored the game’s opening goal. Twelve minutes later, defender Mohammed Qassem extended the advantage with his first goal for the Riyadh club. After 20 minutes, Ronaldo, who leads the Saudi Pro League in goals scored, had a chance to score but headed straight at the Persepolis goalie when unmarked at the outside of the six-yard box.
Although there was little noise inside the stadium, Ronaldo’s arrival on Monday had significantly increased local enthusiasm. As they yelled his name, hundreds of local fans barged into Al Nassr’s hotel in an effort to get a sight of the 38-year-old Portugal star.
Al Nassr, who is still seeking its first Asian title, was unable to practice due to the chaos.
Following the restoration of diplomatic ties in June as part of an agreement mediated by China, this was the first trip to Iran by a Saudi Arabian delegation since 2015.
Al Nassr surpasses Al-Duhail of Qatar and Tajikistan’s Istiklol, who drew 0-0, to take the lead in Group E after the win. In the 40-team event, only the 10 group winners and the six best runners-up will advance to the second round.
Incheon United defeated Japanese champion Yokohama F. Marinos 4-2 at home in the South Korean team’s first Champions League match.
Thailand’s BG Pathum was beaten 3-1 by South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, a two-time continental champion. Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale defeated Malaysia’s Johor Darul Tazim 1-0, while China’s Shandong Taishan defeated the Philippines’ Kaya 3-1.
On Monday, Uzbekistani team Navbahor held Al Hilal and its star attacker Neymar to a 1-1 draw.
Even without famous scorer Karim Benzema, Saudi Arabia’s champion Al Ittihad beat Uzbekistan’s AGMK 3-0.
