Ronaldo Breaks Goal Drought as Al-Nassr Crush Al-Ain in AFC Champions League Showdown
Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca Shine in Al-Nassr’s Dominant 5-1 Victory
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to form, helping Al-Nassr secure a 5-1 victory over Al-Ain in a crucial AFC Champions League clash. The Portuguese star ended a rare scoring slump, having failed to find the net in four consecutive games across all competitions, a stretch that saw Al-Nassr eliminated from the King Cup of Champions and held to a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal.
Talisca opened the scoring early for Al-Nassr, energizing the hosts, and Ronaldo soon doubled the lead after capitalizing on an error by Al-Ain’s Khalid Eisa just past the half-hour mark. Al-Nassr maintained pressure, and their third goal came through a deflected shot from Angelo that found its way into the net off Fabio Cardoso.
Despite Al-Ain’s efforts to mount a comeback, with Park Yong-woo’s lucky strike bouncing off the woodwork and onto Al-Nassr keeper Bento’s back for their only goal, Al-Nassr’s defense held firm. Coach Stefano Pioli then substituted Ronaldo and Sadio Mane to bolster the defense, a move that didn’t stop Al-Nassr from extending their lead. Wesley added a fourth goal against the run of play, and Talisca completed his brace in the final moments, sealing an emphatic 5-1 win.