Al Nassr vs Al Rayyan: Cristiano Ronaldo key to Saudi club’s first AFC Champions League win
Al Nassr, Al Rayyan,Cristiano Ronaldo
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning goal as Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia defeated Al-Rayyan of Qatar 2-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage fixture.

 Al Nassr were leading by a margin of one goal and 14 minutes remaining on the clock, when the five-time Ballon D’or winner blasted a shot into the top corner – the eventual winner for the Saudi Pro League club.

With his seventh overall this season for Al Nassr, it accounted for Ronaldo’s first goal in the AFC Champions League this season.

The goal wasn’t the first time that Ronaldo found the net in the game. Earlier in the game, Ronaldo was disallowed a goal after being ruled offside.

The Saudi club took the lead in the first half, courtesy of a goal from former Liverpool and Bayern Munich winger Sadio Mane. Ronaldo and Co seemed to be heading for a clean sheet with just three minutes of time left when Roger Guedes scored from close range to pull one back for Al-Rayyan.

Al Nassr sit third in the Elite Group B of the Asian continental club football tournament after two games this season, with a win and a draw.

Ronaldo had missed out their first game of the season against Iraq’s Al-Shorta a couple weeks ago after being exposed to viral infection. With the Portuguese back in the side, the Saudi club are eyeing their first-ever continental and league title.