Al Nassr suffer first ACL loss, defeated 2-1 by Al Sadd with Ronaldo watching

Al Nassr suffered their first defeat in the 2023 Asian Champions League as they were beaten 2-1 by Al Sadd in a dramatic finish on Monday.

The Saudi side, already qualified for the knockout stages, rested their star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the match at Al Awwal Park.

Ronaldo, who has scored 15 goals in 18 appearances this season, watched from the stands alongside his mother, Dolores Aveiro, and partner Georgina Rodriguez.

Despite his absence, the Portuguese forward’s presence was still felt after his recent impressive performances, including a brace against Al Gharafa in the Champions League and a double in the Saudi Pro League.

Al Sadd took the lead early in the second half when Akram Afif, the AFC Player of the Year, raced onto a long ball from the halfway line. Afif outpaced Al Nassr defender Mohammed Al Fatil and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Bento in the 53rd minute.

However, Al Nassr found an equaliser in the 80th minute, albeit in an unfortunate manner. A low cross from Brazilian Wesley was turned into his own net by Al Sadd defender Romain Saiss, making it 1-1.

The drama continued deep into injury time, when Afif was fouled in the penalty area, earning Al Sadd a spot-kick. Substitute Adam Ounas stepped up to convert the penalty in the 99th minute, handing Al Sadd the win and sending Al Nassr to their first loss of the group stage.

With this defeat, Al Nassr remain third in the Western Region group, while Al Sadd’s victory sees them rise to fourth place, securing their spot in the knockout rounds. The top eight teams from each group advance to the next stage.

Meanwhile, in another group clash, Saudi side Al Ahli maintained their lead at the top despite dropping their 100% record. They were held to a 2-2 draw by Iran’s Esteghlal in Jeddah, thanks to an Ivan Toney double, which included two penalty conversions. The English striker’s contributions were pivotal, especially after Esteghlal had a player sent off in the second half.

The Asian Champions League group stage continues, with Al Nassr and Al Sadd both looking to push further into the tournament’s knockout stages.