Under the blazing Jeddah sun, Cristiano Ronaldo led Al Nassr to a commanding 4-1 victory over Yokohama F. Marinos in the AFC Champions League Elite quarterfinals on Saturday. The 40-year-old superstar struck in the first half, sealing his team's spot in the semifinals and bringing them one step closer to their first continental crown.
The scoring spree began early when Jhon Duran, the club's record $100 million signing from Aston Villa, slid home a close-range finish just minutes into the contest. His debut goal in the tournament set the tone for what would become a showcase of attacking firepower.
Not long after, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane doubled the lead with a fierce low drive from the left edge of the box, giving Al Nassr breathing room and keeping the pressure firmly on their Japanese visitors.
As the half wound down, Ronaldo made sure the headlines belonged to him. Capitalizing on a spilled save by Yokohama goalkeeper Park Ilgyu, he tapped in from close range to notch his eighth goal of the continental campaign—and the 934th of an illustrious career. It also marked his 33rd strike across all competitions this season.
After the break, Duran struck again to push Al Nassr's advantage to 4-0, before Anderson Lopes grabbed a consolation goal for Yokohama. Despite the late reply, the Saudi side's dominance was never in doubt.
On Wednesday, Al Nassr will face either Qatar’s Al Sadd or Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the semifinals. As the tournament concludes on May 3, all eyes will be on Jeddah, where dreams of AFC glory hang in the balance.
Reference(s):
Ronaldo leads Al Nassr into AFC Champions League Elite semifinals
cgtn.com
