In a highly anticipated return from suspension, Cristiano Ronaldo could not steer Al-Nassr to victory as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Al-Ain in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarterfinal clash on March 4.
Despite Ronaldo’s presence, Al-Ain secured the advantage with a first-half goal from Moroccan forward Soufiane Rahimi, setting the stage for a tense return leg in Riyadh scheduled for the following Monday.
Ronaldo’s return to action came after he missed a Saudi Pro League match earlier in the week as part of his suspension for an alleged offensive gesture during a previous game against Al-Shabab. The gesture, captured on video, appeared to be aimed at Al-Shabab fans chanting the name of Ronaldo’s soccer rival, Lionel Messi.
While Ronaldo showed glimpses of his prowess on the field, including a close attempt with an overhead kick in the sixth minute and a lob from the halfway line in the dying moments, Al-Ain’s defense held firm. Al-Nassr also had goalkeeper Khalid Eisa to thank for denying Ronaldo’s close-range effort.
However, luck was not entirely on Al-Nassr’s side, as Al-Ain, under the guidance of former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, had two goals disallowed for offside, highlighting the narrow margins that decided the outcome of the match.
