RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo kicked off his 40th birthday celebrations in style, netting twice as Al Nassr cruised to a 4-0 victory over Al Wasl FC in their AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 match at Al Awwal Park on Monday. The Riyadh-based side, having already secured their place in the knockout stage, bounced back emphatically after their Matchday Six defeat to Qatar's Al Sadd. Ronaldo's double came after Ali Alhassan opened the scoring, while substitute Mohammed Al Fatil sealed the comprehensive win late in the game. Al Nassr signaled their attacking intent as early as the third minute when Ronaldo delivered an inviting cross into the box for new signing Jhon Duran, who narrowly missed connecting. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner continued to test the opposition, rattling the crossbar with a powerful effort in the 10th minute after pouncing on an Al Wasl turnover. Al Wasl nearly responded moments later when goalkeeper Anas Zniti's long ball found Ali Saleh, forcing Bento to react quickly and deny the forward. Al Nassr's persistent pressure paid off in the 25th minute when Alhassan unleashed a thunderous 25-yard strike that sailed past Zniti into the bottom corner. Three minutes later, Sultan Al Ghannam delivered a pinpoint cross to Ali Lajami, whose header forced a superb save from Zniti. The visitors' resistance crumbled further in the 43rd minute when Salem Al Azizi was penalized for handball. Ronaldo stepped up and confidently converted from the spot, sending Zniti the wrong way to double Al Nassr's lead before halftime. Al Wasl emerged from the break with renewed aggression, with Alexis Perez attempting a long-range effort in the 47th minute. Majid Surour and Nicolas Gimenez also tested Bento but failed to find the back of the net. Despite the Emiratis' efforts, Al Nassr remained in control. In the 78th minute, Ronaldo struck again, rising above the defense to meet Sadio Mane's cross with a towering header for his second goal of the night. The final blow came in the 88th minute when Mohammed Al Fatil capped the dominant performance with a glancing header, securing a well-deserved 4-0 victory. Al Nassr will now prepare to face Iran's Persepolis on Matchday Eight, while Al Wasl will take on four-time AFC Champions League winners Al Hilal SFC.
