Home Football ‘1 goal, 1 assist’ – Upstreaming to win over Istiklol, Ronaldo helped Al-Nassr have a 10-match winning streak

‘1 goal, 1 assist’ – Upstreaming to win over Istiklol, Ronaldo helped Al-Nassr have a 10-match winning streak

Football — 10/03/2023

Striker Cristiano Ronaldo scored, helping Al Nassr win 3-1 against Istiklol Dushanbe in the second match of the Group E AFC Champions League on October 2.

Scored: Ronaldo 66′, Talisca 72′ & 77′ – Sebai 44′.

Ronaldo’s first goal in the AFC Champions League group stage and his eleventh goal in the previous eight games came in the 66th minute to tie the score at one. The goal helped the entire team feel less mentally burdened at a time when Al Nassr was struggling against the Tajikistani opponent. With two goals in the next ten minutes, Anderson Talisca helped the home team complete a comeback and win 3-1, keeping them atop Group E.

In accordance with tournament rules, Al Nassr can utilize up to five international players in their starting lineup. These players include midfielders Marcelo Brozovic, Seko Fofana, and Ronaldo, as well as defender Aymeric Laporte and striker Talisca. The home team used greater force and controlled the ball for 83% of the first half. They attempted nine shots, five of which found the goal, but at halftime, they were still down. In a death match, Istiklol only managed one finish, coming in at the half. In the 44th minute, Senin Sebai broke through the penalty area and beat goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi with a shot.

In the second half, Ronaldo and his colleagues finished with eighteen goals apiece, continuing to apply extreme pressure. However, the Al Nassr players’ legs didn’t feel free again until Ronaldo scored a goal in the face of goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov.

Talisca scored two goals in a row with a header and a left-footed strike from minutes 72 to 77, making the score 3-1. With six points from two games, Al Nassr leads Group E. This was their tenth straight victory. Next is Persepolis, which defeated Al Duhail 1-0 to earn three points.

Al Ittihad, the team leading the Saudi Arabian National Championship, is not permitted to participate in the Group C second game at Sepahan Stadium. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) declared that unanticipated circumstances led to the match’s cancellation.

The Middle Eastern news reported that tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran were the cause. Because host Sepahan had placed a bust of a deceased commander on the field, Al Ittihad players declined to take the field. After the match was called off, the entire Al Ittihad squad went home.