In a heart-stopping encounter, Cristiano Ronaldo’s late heroics failed to rescue Al-Nassr from elimination in the AFC Champions League, as they were edged out by Al-Ain on penalties after a thrilling seven-goal thriller.
Despite having home advantage and the urgency to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit, Al-Nassr found themselves facing an uphill battle early on. Soufiane Rahimi, a familiar tormentor from the first leg, struck twice in the first half, seemingly putting Al-Nassr’s hopes to rest. However, Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s goal just before halftime injected a spark of hope into the proceedings.
The second half saw Al-Nassr mounting a spirited comeback, with Otavio’s contribution bringing the score level at 2-2. Cristiano Ronaldo had a golden opportunity to put his team ahead, but his miss was swiftly followed by Alex Telles’ fortuitous goal, leveling the tie at 3-3 and sending the match into extra time.
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Drama unfolded as substitute Ayman Ahmed’s dismissal left Al-Nassr with ten men, and Al-Ain capitalized on the numerical advantage to regain the lead. Despite Ronaldo’s late penalty heroics, converting in the 118th minute to force a shootout, it was not enough to salvage victory for Al-Nassr.
The shootout proved to be a cruel twist of fate for Al-Nassr, as Otavio’s miss allowed Al-Ain to emerge triumphant with a 3-1 victory on penalties.
Despite Ronaldo’s valiant efforts and the team’s spirited fightback, Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League campaign came to a heartbreaking end. The rollercoaster of emotions throughout the match showcased the unpredictability and drama that defines football at its highest level.