Al-Ain Overwhelms Al-Nassr with 4-0 Victory in AFC Champions League Elite
Cristiano Ronaldo faced a tough night as Al-Nassr suffered a 4-0 defeat against Al-Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite. The UAE team, powered by Soufiane Rahimi’s outstanding performance, dismantled the Saudi champions on their home turf.
The match saw Houssine Rahimi open the scoring after 25 minutes, and he added a second goal shortly after the hour mark. His brother, Soufiane Rahimi, then scored the third with 18 minutes remaining before assisting Georgios Giakoumakis to seal the 4-0 victory.
Ronaldo’s Struggle Continues
At 41 years old, Ronaldo is chasing his 980th career goal but was unable to influence this game. His late free-kick attempt was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Khalid Eisa, denying any consolation for the visitors.
Coach Postecoglou Accepts Responsibility
"The players gave everything they had, and I do not place any responsibility on them ... and the responsibility is my responsibility," admitted Al-Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou. He described the team’s overall performance as poor.
Significant Setback for Al-Nassr
This marks Ronaldo’s heaviest defeat since moving to the Middle East, matching a 4-0 loss last seen with Manchester United against Brentford in August 2022. Al-Nassr has only won once in their last four matches across all competitions, highlighting a troubling dip in form.
Other Saudi Teams’ Mixed Results
- Al-Hilal won 2-1 over Qatar’s Al-Gharafa, thanks to a Ruben Neves penalty and a strike from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Both teams played with 10 men by the end.
- Al-Qadsiah beat UAE’s Al-Wasl 2-1.
Looking Ahead
Al-Nassr now faces pressure to end their slump and revive their campaign in the AFC Champions League Elite. Domestic rivals like reigning champions Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad will also be pushing for improvements after draws against Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor and Qatar’s Al-Shamal.
