RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo led Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr Club to their first win in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25, defeating Al Rayyan SC 2-1 at at Al Awwal park Stadium on Monday. The victory also marked head coach Stefano Pioli's debut in continental club football in Asia, securing four points for Al Nassr, while Al Rayyan remains without a win. Back in action after missing the opener against Iraq's Al Shorta, Ronaldo was heavily involved early on, initiating a move that led to Angelo Gabriel narrowly missing a shot. Ronaldo twice tested Al Rayyan's keeper, Paulo Vidotti, but was denied on both occasions. Sadio Mane was next to try, sending a shot wide in the 17th minute after being set up by Ronaldo following a scramble in Al Rayyan's box. Al Rayyan's first significant chance came just before the half-hour mark when Roger Guedes' solo effort forced a save from Bento Krepski. Despite Al Nassr's dominance, Bento came to the rescue again in the 41st minute, making a crucial save to deny Achraf Bencharki after Trezeguet's initial shot was blocked. The breakthrough for Al Nassr came a minute into first-half stoppage time when Sultan Al Ghannam delivered a pinpoint cross for Mane, who headed it past Vidotti to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Ronaldo thought he had doubled Al Nassr's advantage just two minutes into the second half, but his goal was ruled out for offside after a pass from Otavio. Ronaldo continued to threaten, but his powerful header from an Abdullah Al Khaibari cross went over the bar in the 69th minute. The introduction of Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Wesley Teixeira injected fresh energy into Al Nassr's attack, and in the 76th minute, the duo combined to set up Ronaldo for a left-footed curling finish. Al Rayyan pulled one back in the 87th minute through Guedes, but it wasn't enough to stop Al Nassr from claiming the win. Al Nassr will next face Esteghlal FC on October 22, while Al Rayyan will take on Al Ahli Saudi FC a day earlier.
