NEW DELHI: On Monday, Al-Nassr suffered their first AFC Champions League Elite defeat at the hands of Al-Sadd of Qatar, 2-1, without Cristiano Ronaldo. With five goals in his last three games, Ronaldo was rested because Al-Nassr was already assured a spot in the round of 16. He observed from a distance.
Eight minutes after the interval, Al-Sadd seized the lead through Akram Afifwho was voted the Asian player of the year in November.
With ten minutes left, Romain Saiss‘ own goal from close range tied the score at one, despite Al-Nassr’s close attempts from Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca.
Adam Ounas of Algeria, however, converted the penalty in the ninth minute of extra time after Afif was hauled down in the area.
With the victory, Al-Sadd, the 2011 champion, secured a spot in the round of 16, dropping to fourth position in the 12-team group, one point behind third-place Al-Nassr. Each of the two groups’ top eight players advances to the knockout phase.
“It was a tough and close game,” Al-Sadd coach Felix Sanchez said. “We worked hard to stop Al-Nassr having the ball, and to win at their home stadium. The players showed their character.”
After Iran’s Esteghlal held the Saudi Arabian team to a 2-2 draw, Al-Ahli was placed first in the group.
For the home team in Jeddah, Ivan Toney scored both goals. After 42 minutes, Raphael Silva gave the Tehran team the lead, but Toney’s penalty shortly before halftime made it 1-1.
Six minutes after the restart, Mohammad Hossein Eslami gave Esteghlal the lead again, but four minutes from the end, Toney netted his second penalty, giving the England striker his fourth goal in Asia in as many days.
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