Ronaldo stunners edge AFC Champions League seven-goal thriller

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stunning performance, scoring two remarkable goals to lead Al Nassr to a thrilling 4-3 victory over Al Duhail in the AFC Champions League. The Portuguese legend showcased his skills, reminding fans of his remarkable talent.

Sadio Mane, former Liverpool striker, and Anderson Talisca also made their mark on the match, securing goals for Al Nassr. With this win, Al Nassr maintains a perfect record with three wins in the group stages of the premier Asian club competition.

Talisca opened the scoring in the 25th minute, assisted by Ronaldo’s clever back-heeled flick. Mane added a second 11 minutes into the second half, while Ronaldo curled in a magnificent third from outside the box to make it 3-0.

However, Al Duhail, with Philippe Coutinho leading the charge, rallied back with two quick goals from Ismail Mohamad and Almoez Ali, making it a nerve-wracking match.

In the 81st minute, Ronaldo sealed the victory with a left-footed volley from a long ball by Sultan Al Ghannam, displaying his athleticism and skill.

There was still a twist in the tale as Michael Olunga pulled one back for Al Duhail in the 85th minute, elevating the tension in the final moments of the game.

Al Duhail manager Christophe Galtier hailed Ronaldo’s performance, stating, “When you face Ronaldo, there isn’t much you can do. He scored two beautiful goals. I’m at a loss for words to describe him. What he did today is extraordinary for a 38-year-old. He’s still the best player in the world.”

In another match, Al Hilal dominated Mumbai City with a 6-0 victory, showcasing their strength even without their injured superstar Neymar. Aleksandar Mitrovic, former Fulham striker, scored two goals in the match.

In the East zone, defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat at home against Pohang Steelers. Jeong Jae-hee and Goh Young-jun scored for the South Korean team on either side of half-time.

Urawa now faces a tough challenge to qualify for the knockout stages, having secured only four points from their three Group J games. They are currently level with China’s Wuhan Three Towns, who secured their first victory by defeating Hanoi FC 2-1.

Urawa manager Maciej Skorza admitted, “Today Pohang was the better team and deserved to win. Especially in the physical aspect, we couldn’t do too much.”

In Group I, Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale continued their dominance with a 4-2 win over Thailand’s BG Pathum United. With this victory, Kawasaki Frontale extends their lead at the top of the group, three points ahead of South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai.

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