Al-Nassr’s Jhon Duran found the net two times, and Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty as the Saudi Pro League team secured a spot in the Asian Champions League Elite quarterfinals on Monday with a 3-0 victory against Iran’s Esteghlal, while Qatar’s Al-Sadd emerged victorious over Al-Wasl.
Akram Afif played a crucial role in Al-Sadd’s 3-1 win in Doha and scored a goal as he guided Felix Sanchez’s team to a 4-2 aggregate triumph over the club from the United Arab Emirates.
Al-Nassr triumphed in Riyadh after the first leg ended in a goalless draw in Tehran the previous week, allowing Stefano Pioli’s team to move on to the quarterfinals, which are set to occur in Jeddah during a centralized tournament from April 25 to May 3.
Duran Early Opener Sets the Tone for Al-Nassr
Duran opened the scoring for Al-Nassr just nine minutes into the match, expertly lifting the ball over Seyed Hossein Hosseini after the Esteghlal goalkeeper unwittingly handed the striker possession from 25 meters out.
The Saudis extended their advantage with a second goal from the penalty spot, as Cristiano Ronaldo confidently converted in the 27th minute after Mohammad Niknafs’ ill-timed tackle on Sadio Mane.
Esteghlal Red Card Seals Fate in AFC Champions League Tie
Esteghlal faced a nearly insurmountable challenge when Mehran Ahmadi received a red card for a second yellow offense just before halftime, after inadvertently striking Mohammed Al-Fatil in the face with his arm.
Duran Seals Brace as Al-Nassr Cruise to Quarters
Duran netted his second goal of the match just six minutes before the final whistle when he sent a low shot into the bottom corner, having previously struck the post as Al-Nassr comfortably advanced.
Sadio Mane Praises Al-Nassr Team Performance
“I believe we performed well,” Mane stated. “We made numerous opportunities and netted three goals. I feel we earned our reward.”
We worked together effectively, applying pressure on them, which led to mistakes and allowed us to score three goals. We maintained a clean sheet and we can’t ask for anything better than that.
Al-Sadd Comeback Victory Over Al-Wasl in AFC Champions League
Al-Sadd advanced following a swift 11-minute period in the first half against Al-Wasl, during which the Qataris netted three goals to reverse Fabio Lima’s initial strike.
The forward, originally from Brazil, put his team ahead in the 10th minute by connecting with a first-time shot after Alexis Perez’s cross had sailed over the Al-Sadd defense.
Afif broke through the Al-Wasl defense to equalize for Al-Sadd 16 minutes later, racing toward the byline before pulling the ball back to Mostafa Meshaal, who then finished it into the bottom corner.
Youcef Atal Deflection Seals Al-Sadd Aggregate Win
Youcef Atal scored to give Al-Sadd the advantage in the 30th minute, cutting in towards the goal before his shot from a very narrow angle deflected off the boot of Al-Wasl defender Jung Seung-hyun and past Khaled Al-Senaani.
The Asian Player of the Year, Afif, demonstrated his talent by scoring the third goal in the 37th minute, executing a short free kick to Claudinho before curling the return shot into the top corner from 20 meters out.
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