Cristiano Ronaldo notched his first goal in the Asian Champions League (ACL) on Monday, propelling Al-Nassr to a remarkable 3-1 comeback victory against Tajikistan’s Istiklol Dushanbe.
This victory maintained Al-Nassr’s perfect start in this season’s ACL.
Ronaldo, alongside his striking partner Anderson Talisca, displayed their brilliance as usual with splendid goals, securing all three points for Al-Nassr.
However, the situation appeared grim for the Riyadh giants at Al-Awwal Park during the first half.
Despite enjoying more than 80 percent possession and registering nine attempts on target compared to the visitors’ single effort, Al-Nassr found themselves trailing at halftime.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first ACL goal in Al-Nassr 3-1 comeback win.
Ronaldo’s goal came in the 66th minute, equalizing the match.
The Real Madrid legend’s performance was outstanding throughout the match.
The 38-year-old forward has now scored 12 goals this season.
He has now made a mark in UEFA Champions League and AFC Champions League.
Senin Sebai managed to open the scoring in the 44th minute, with the Ivory Coast forward converting a pass from Dzenis Beganovic, sending a squirming shot past Al Nassr’s goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi.
This silenced the home fans and gave Istiklol an unexpected lead.
The second half saw Al Nassr’s struggles continue until Cristiano Ronaldo finally equalized in the 66th minute, extending his scoring streak to seven consecutive games.
His goal served as a catalyst, as the Saudi Arabian side quickly added two more.
Ayman Yahya’s shot bounced off the turf, and Anderson Talisca was there at the far post to head his team into the lead in the 72nd minute.
Just five minutes later, Talisca completed his brace by converting a pass from Ghareeb, ensuring no further concerns for Ronaldo or the home supporters.
Ronaldo’s performance that evening was outstanding, as he troubled Istiklol’s defenders throughout the match. He managed three shots on target, five off target, and delivered two key passes.
This marked Ronaldo’s third appearance in Asia’s premier club competition.
He had previously participated in a successful qualifier against Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai and the Group E Matchday 1 clash against Persepolis of Iran, which Al-Nassr won 2-0, although he didn’t score in that match.
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s contributions for Al-Nassr this season now stand at an impressive 12 goals in his last eight matches, comprising eight goals and four assists.
Shortly after the game, he took to X page (formerly Twitter) to express his excitement, stating;
“Good game from everyone on the team! Happy to have scored my 1st ACL Champions League goal. We keep winning.”
Good game from everyone on the team!
Happy to have scored my 1st #ACL champions league goal!????????⚽️
We keep wining!???????? pic.twitter.com/cz5U1saxYd— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) October 2, 2023
It’s worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League with 140 goals, has now made a significant mark in the ACL Champions League with his first goal.
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