In a dramatic quarter-final clash, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr faced a devastating defeat against Al-Ain in the Asian Champions League, ending their journey in a penalty shootout loss.
Al-Nassr entered the match trailing 1-0 after the first leg but found themselves in a deeper hole as they fell 3-0 down on aggregate. However, displaying resilience, they mounted a remarkable comeback to force extra time, with Ronaldo at the heart of the action.
Despite a missed opportunity earlier in normal time, where Ronaldo failed to convert from close range, he redeemed himself by converting an 118th-minute penalty, leveling the aggregate score at 4-4.
The Portuguese legend’s heroics were not enough, as he was the sole scorer for Al-Nassr in the ensuing penalty shootout, which ended in a 3-1 defeat.
Ronaldo’s miss in regular time was a pivotal moment, as his side trailed 3-2 on aggregate. However, a goal from former Manchester United teammate Alex Telles in the 72nd minute kept their hopes alive, leading to extra time.
In a twist of fate, Al-Nassr was reduced to 10 men after Ayman Yahya was sent off. Despite Ronaldo’s late penalty goal, Al-Ain regained the lead in extra time, setting the stage for a tense shootout.
Unfortunately for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo’s lone goal couldn’t turn the tide, and defeat was sealed when Otavio missed their fourth penalty, ending their Champions League campaign in disappointment.