Sportsupdated 1h ago2 min read
Ronaldo Scores as Al-Nassr Beats Neftchi Fergana 3-1 After Riyadh Security Alert
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Ronaldo scored the second goal as Al-Nassr beat Neftchi Fergana 3-1. AFC Champions League Elite match delayed about an hour by missile alert.
19 outlets told this the same way.
Missile alert delays kickoff
Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Al-Nassr beat Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued a safety warning 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. The match experienced a one-hour delay from its original start time due to a security alert in Riyadh following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi-led coalition said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh.
Ange Postecoglou’s side went ahead through Angelo in the 33rd minute, and Ronaldo doubled the lead nine minutes later after Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from the left that Aiman Yahya directed into Ronaldo’s path with his chest. Ronaldo then waved a Saudi scarf afterwards as the crowd remained in their seats during the wait, and the Portuguese captain’s celebration came after the danger had passed and preparations resumed.
Goals, red card, own goal
Ângelo Gabriel opened the scoring for Al-Nassr in the 33rd minute, and Cristiano Ronaldo extended the hosts’ lead in the 42nd minute to give Al-Nassr a 2-0 advantage at halftime. Alisher Odilov pulled a goal back for the Uzbek side in the 51st minute, but Ikromjon Alibaev was sent off in the 65th minute for a foul on Mohamed Simakan.
Anvarjon Gofurov scored an own goal in the 78th minute to seal the 3-1 victory for Al-Nassr, and the result gave the Saudi club its first three points in the competition. Al-Nassr’s win moved the club up to eighth place in the standings, with Neftchi remaining on three points in seventh place after opening their campaign with a 1-0 win over Iraqi Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.
Ronaldo’s 981st and next stakes
Cristiano Ronaldo reached his 981st career goal as Al-Nassr recovered from a heavy defeat to Al Ain of the UAE with a 4-0 win in the previous round of the AFC Champions League Elite. The match was held after the situation stabilized, and the top eight finishers in the 16-team league phase in both East and West Asia will progress to the knockout rounds.
Ronaldo’s Saudi scarf celebration followed his second goal, and the Portuguese forward’s spotlight came as the security delay drew attention away from the action on the pitch before kick-off. The Saudi capital’s missile threat context remained part of the backdrop, with the Saudi-led coalition saying it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh on Monday.