Al Nassr secured a convincing 4-0 victory against Al Wasl of the UAE in the AFC Champions League 2 quarter-finals on 19/4 at Zabeel Stadium. The goals came from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 11th minute, Inigo Martinez in the 24th, Abdulelah Al Amri in the 26th, and Sadio Mane in the 80th. Coach Jorge Jesus fielded a strong lineup, with Ronaldo leading the attack, supported by Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, Kingsley Coman, and Marcelo Brozovic. In only his second start in the AFC Champions League 2, the 41-year-old superstar quickly proved his worth.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Following a right-wing attack, Nawaf Boushal delivered a precise cross, allowing Ronaldo to unleash a one-touch shot that found the bottom corner. The Al Nassr captain celebrated his 969th career goal with his signature spin jump. This marked his first goal in the AFC Champions League 2.

Ronaldo celebrates his opening goal for Al Nassr against Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League 2 quarter-finals at Zabeel Stadium, Dubai, UAE on 19/4. *Photo: Al Nassr*.

Ronaldo's early goal set the tone for Al Nassr. In the 24th minute, center-back Inigo Martinez doubled the lead with a powerful header from a Joao Felix corner. Just two minutes later, Abdulelah Al Amri extended Al Nassr's advantage to 3-0, effectively sealing the win early.

Al Wasl, ranked 684th globally by Opta's power index, is comparable to a mid-tier team in the Saudi Pro League. With the comfortable lead, coach Jorge Jesus substituted Ronaldo in the 67th minute. Despite the change, Al Nassr continued their dominance, with Sadio Mane adding a fourth goal in the 80th minute.

This victory propels Al Nassr into the semi-finals, where they will face either Al Ahli (Qatar) or Al Hussein (Jordan). Ronaldo is aiming for his first official title with Al Nassr, more than three years since his move to Saudi Arabia. Following the match, the Portuguese forward posted a concise message on social media: "See you in the semi-finals," accompanied by a determined emoji.

The AFC Champions League 2 is Asia's second-tier club competition. Due to conflicts in the Middle East, some matches are played as single legs on neutral ground in the UAE. Vietnam's Cong An Ha Noi advanced to the round of 16 but was ultimately eliminated by Tampines Rovers of Singapore.

In the other semi-final, Gamba Osaka defeated Bangkok United 3-1 over two legs. While Gamba Osaka is ranked 382nd globally by Opta, not as high as some top Saudi teams, Japanese clubs are consistently tough opponents for any team on the continent.

Hoang An