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NRIPage | Articles | Ronaldo's Penalty and Duran's Double Fire Al Nassr into AFC Champions League Elite Quarter-finals | Get Indian Desi Visa & Immigration News in USA. Navigate Visa & Immigration Processes with Ease - NRI Page
Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his experience and class as Al Nassr stormed into the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite with a convincing 3-0 victory over Esteghlal. Ronaldo’s coolly taken penalty and a brace from Jhon Duran sealed the win for the Saudi Arabian side at Al Awwal Park on Monday night. Having been rested for the first-leg goalless draw in Iran, Ronaldo returned to the starting lineup to guide Al Nassr to a decisive win. The Portuguese forward’s opening goal and Duran’s impressive double ensured Al Nassr progressed comfortably with a 3-0 aggregate score. Ronaldo, Al Nassr's captain, converted a first-half penalty to take his tally in this season's AFC Champions League Elite to seven goals in just six matches. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to shine in Saudi Arabia, where he is also the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League with 18 goals this season. Duran, a recent winter signing from English Premier League club Aston Villa, opened the scoring in just nine minutes with a stunning finish. Seizing a loose ball near the right edge of the Esteghlal penalty area, Duran expertly chipped goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini to mark his first goal in the competition.
Al Nassr doubled their lead on 27 minutes after Sadio Mane drew a foul from Esteghlal midfielder Zobeir Niknafs inside the box. Ronaldo calmly dispatched the resulting spot-kick into the centre of the net, further increasing Al Nassr's dominance. Esteghlal’s woes deepened just before half-time when Mehran Ahmadi was shown a second yellow card for accidentally catching Al Nassr defender Mohammed Al Fatil with a stray arm while shielding the ball. After VAR upgraded the foul to a yellow card — his second of the match — Ahmadi was sent off, reducing Esteghlal to 10 men. Early in the second half, Al Nassr came close to extending their lead. Jhon Duran’s shot was saved by Hosseini, followed by Ayman Yahya’s rebound attempt, which was cleared off the line. Moments later, Duran struck the crossbar with a powerful effort from outside the box. However, Duran was not to be denied his second goal.
The Al Nassr forward scored his second of the night with a low shot tucked inside the near post after being set up brilliantly by former Chelsea winger Angelo. In Monday's other AFC Champions League match, Al Sadd secured their place in the quarter-finals with a commanding 4-2 aggregate victory over UAE champions Al Wasl. After a 1-1 first-leg draw in Dubai, Al Sadd delivered a dominant performance in the return leg. Fabio Lima gave Al Wasl the lead early in the match, but Al Sadd responded with three quick goals in a 10-minute spell before half-time. Mostafa Meshaal, Youcef Atal, and Akram Afif all found the net, with Afif — the reigning Asian Player of the Year — adding yet another influential performance to his impressive career. With Al Nassr and Al Sadd advancing to the last eight, the AFC Champions League Elite continues to heat up as the tournament moves closer to the knockout stage's defining moments. Ronaldo's impressive goal-scoring form and Al Nassr's growing momentum will make them strong contenders in the upcoming quarter-final matches.
