Nasr’s Portuguese forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo gestures on the field during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr at Al-Awwal Stadium in Riyadh on September 13, 2024. (Photo by FAYEZ NOORELDIN / AFP)
Al Nassr struggled in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday when the Saudi club opened the revamped Asian Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Iraq.
Al Nassr captain Ronaldo did not travel with the team for the match in Baghdad, with the club releasing a statement a day earlier saying the Portuguese superstar had contracted a viral infection.
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Al Nassr, who exited last season’s Asian Champions League after losing in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Al Ain, got off to a dream start in the Iraqi capital when full-back Sultan Al Ghanem headed Otavio’s clever, first-time pass past Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil in the 14th minute.
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However, the home team equalised 10 minutes later.
A mistake between debutant Salem Al Najdi and former RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan gave Al Shorta forward Mohamed Dawood the chance and he fired a superb shot past Bento into the Al Nassr goal.
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Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli beat Iran’s Persepolis 1-0 at home in Jeddah, with newcomer Ivan Toney making his Asian football debut.
Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie gave the home side the lead in the second minute after scoring from a Riyad Mahrez assist.
Persepolis were awarded a penalty four minutes before halftime when Merih Demiral was adjudged to have been fouled inside the area, although the decision was overturned after a VAR review.
Toni won a spot-kick for Al Ahly in the second half – he was brought down by rival defender Hossein Kanani – but Mahrez’s penalty was well saved by Persepolis goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz.
Toney, the England international who signed from Premier League club Brentford last month, missed a golden opportunity to open his account five minutes from time but his shot went wide.
He made his debut for Al Ahly last Friday.
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Elsewhere, Al Ain began their title defence with a 1-1 draw at home to Qatar’s Al Sadd.
Akram Afif, the 2019 Asian Football Player of the Year and player of the tournament at the Asian Cup earlier this year, opened the scoring in the first hour at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
But Al Ain earned a point through Argentina’s Matias Palacios 10 minutes before the end of the match.
In another match on Monday, Iran’s Esteghlal defeated Qatar’s Al Gharafa 3-0.
The new format features 24 teams – 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia.
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Each club will play four home and four away matches, with the top eight clubs from each team progressing to the knockout stage early next year.
