Ronaldo & Duran Fire Al Nassr Into ACL Quarters

Al Nassr’s Jhon Duran scored twice, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty. The Saudi Pro League team clinched a spot in the Asian Champions League Elite last eight on Monday with a 3-0 victory over Iran’s Esteghlal while Qatar’s Al-Sadd overcame Al Wasl.

Leading Felix Sanchez’s team to a 4-2 aggregate triumph over the United Arab Emirates, Akram Afif was important in Al-Sadd’s 3-1 victory in Doha and scored on the scoresheet.

Al Nassr’s triumph in Riyadh follows a 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Tehran last week, thereby guiding Stefano Pioli’s club into the quarter-finals, scheduled for Jeddah as part of a centralised tournament running from April 25th to May 3rd.

After nine minutes, Duran put Al Nassr in lead; the Colombian lifted the ball over Seyed Hossein Hosseini following the Esteghlal goalkeeper’s handed possession 25 meters from goal.

Following Mohammad Niknafs’ mistimed charge on Sadio Mane, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped in the 27th minute to convert with usual confidence, doubling the lead from the penalty spot.

When Mehran Ahmadi was sent off for a second bookable offense late in the first half and caught Mohammed Al Fatil in the face with a flinging arm, Esteghlal’s job became nearly impossible.

Having earlier struck the post, Duran claimed his second goal of the game six minutes from time by whippering a low effort into the bottom corner. Al Nassr eased through.