Al Nassr Faces Challenge Without Ronaldo
On Monday, Al Nassr struggled in their AFC Champions League opener, drawing 1-1 against Al Shorta in Baghdad. The Saudi team missed Cristiano Ronaldo, who could not join the squad due to a viral infection. He announced the day before the match that Ronaldo would be absent.
Al Nassr’s Early Success
Al Nassr started strong when Sultan Al Ghannam scored in the 14th minute. He converted Otavio’s precise pass, finishing low past Al Shorta’s goalkeeper, Ahmed Basil. This early goal gave Al Nassr a brief lead.
Al Shorta Responds
Al Nassr’s advantage did not last long. In the 24th minute, a defensive error between new signings Salem Al Najdi and Mohamed Simakan allowed Al Shorta’s Mohammed Dawood to score. Dawood’s powerful shot flew past Al Nassr’s goalkeeper, Bento, leveling the score.
Al Ahli Secures Narrow Win
In other AFC Champions League action, Al Ahli achieved a 1-0 victory against Iran’s Persepolis in Jeddah. New signing Ivan Toney made his debut, while Franck Kessie scored the opening goal in the second minute, assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
Persepolis had a chance to score from a penalty before half-time, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review. In the second half, Toney earned a penalty for Al Ahli when Hossein Kanani fouled him. However, Mahrez’s penalty was saved by Persepolis goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz. Toney missed another chance to score late in the game, dragging his shot wide.
Al Ain Begins Title Defense
Defending champions Al Ain kicked off their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar’s Al Sadd. Akram Afif, the 2019 Asian Footballer of the Year, scored for Al Ain in the 60th minute. However, Matias Palacios of Argentina equalized for Al Sadd ten minutes before the match ended.
Esteghlal Wins Big
In another match, Iran’s Esteghlal defeated Qatar’s Al Gharafa 3-0, showcasing their strong start to the tournament.
New Tournament Format
The revamped AFC Champions League now includes 24 teams, with 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia. Each team plays four home and four away matches. The top eight teams from each region will advance to the knockout stages early next year.
As the tournament continues, teams will aim to secure their positions for the knockout rounds and make the most of their early performances. Stay updated with the latest from IPL365.
