FOOTBALL – AL Nassr Club claimed their first points in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 with a 3-1 win over PFC Neftchi yesterday.
Having lost 4-0 to UAE’s Al Ain FC on Matchday One, Ange Postecoglou’s Saudi Arabian side showed the right response against the Uzbekistan outfit at King Saud University Stadium.
As Al Nassr and Neftchi looked to find their footing in the game, the home side were dealt with an early setback with winger Kingsley Coman having to go off injured in the 12th minute and replaced by Aiman Yahya.
Space emerged for Sadio Mane in the 29th minute, the Senegalese forward racing to collect Ronaldo’s pass and rounding goalkeeper Botirali Ergashev but his low cross into the box just evaded Joao Felix.
Al Nassr found the breakthrough five minutes later as Nawaf Bu Washl burst down the right flank before cutting the ball back to Angelo who proceeded to smash home the opening goal.
Out of nothing, Neftchi went close to equalising in the 40th minute when Koffi Kouao dribbled in-field from the right flank and cut a swerving left foot shot that just missed the far post.
It was to prove costly as Al Nassr doubled their advantage with a beautifully worked team goal in the 42nd minute, with Mane’s cross chested down by Yahya for Ronaldo to rifle home on the turn.
The visitors thought they had pulled a goal back two minutes later through Markus Forss’ diving header but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review with Abrorbek Ismoilov offside earlier in the move.
Islombek Ismailov made two changes for the second half with Alisher Odilov and Farrukh Sayfiev replacing Medeiros Sasse and Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev respectively with the alterations giving Neftchi a lifeline in the game.
Bu Washl turned his back to Jamshid Iskanderov’s cross in the 51st minute with the ball dropping kindly for Odilov to smash home beyond Bento Krepski to halve the deficit.
Neftchi’s chances of drawing level were, however, not helped by Ikromjon Alibaev’s straight red card in the 65th minute after a heavy touch saw him slide into a challenge on Mohamed Simakan that caught the Al Nassr defender on the ankle.
Al Nassr made use of the advantage to add a third in the 78th minute when Mane released Samu Costa in the box, with the Portuguese midfielder’s cut-back flicked into his own net by the unfortunate Anvarjon Gofurov as Ronaldo closed in.