In a surprising turn of events, Al-Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side, found themselves on the losing end in the Asian Champions League. They were defeated 1-0 by Al-Ain in the first leg of the quarter-final, a result that left fans and players alike in shock.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his team had embarked on their journey to the United Arab Emirates with high spirits and an undefeated streak in the competition. However, their hopes were dashed as they put forth a lackluster performance, which, coupled with Soufiane Rahimi’s brilliance, led to their downfall.
Rahimi, the Moroccan star, displayed exceptional composure as he charged towards David Ospina’s goal. He skillfully rounded the Colombian goalkeeper and, despite being off balance, managed to slot the ball into the empty net, leaving the spectators in awe.
As the game progressed into the second half, Al-Ain maintained their dominance. Ronaldo had a glimmer of hope to turn the tables with a golden opportunity, but Al-Ain’s goalkeeper pulled off a spectacular save. The situation worsened for Al-Nassr when Aymeric Laporte, the former Manchester City defender, was shown a straight red card in injury time for elbowing Hazem Mohammad in the back.
Rahimi continued to be the game-changer for the UAE Pro League side. He was instrumental in both attacks that ended up in Ospina’s net. He beautifully set up Kaku in the 22nd minute of the game, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside in the build-up.
However, Rahimi didn’t let this setback deter him. He soon put Al-Ain in the lead with a spectacular run and finish, outsmarting Laporte and Al-Nassr’s Colombian keeper. He almost added another to his tally in the second half with a perfect finish past Ospina, but it was ruled offside.
The night was particularly disappointing for Al-Nassr’s superstars, who failed to display their usual top-notch skills. Ronaldo and Sadio Mane were notably quiet throughout the game, effectively silenced by Hernan Crespo’s side.
Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, had two significant opportunities to score past Khalid Eisa. However, he missed the first chance and Eisa easily saved the second. In the dying moments of the match, Ronaldo had the best chance, but was once again denied by Eisa’s spectacular save.
The final nail in the coffin for Al-Nassr was Laporte’s red card late into injury time. This pretty much ended any hopes of a comeback for the visitors as Al-Ain started to feel the fatigue in their legs. The match served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of football, where even the mightiest can fall.
