Ronaldo’s double helps Al Nassr beat Al-Duhail

• Cristiano Ronaldo produced a man-of-the-match performance in the AFC Champions League as Al Nassr beat Qatari side Al-Duhail 4-3
• Al-Nassr’s victory moves them to three points clear of Iran’s Persepolis, who are placed second in Group E

Cristiano Ronaldo produced a man-of-the-match performance in the AFC Champions League as Al Nassr beat Qatari side Al-Duhail 4-3. The Portuguese forward scored two stunning goals with his left foot and provided an assist in the thrilling match that took place at Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh.

Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca also scored for Al Nassr. Ismaeel Mohammad, Almoez Ali and Kenya’s Michael Olunga scored for Al-Duhail in the 4-3 loss.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring against Al Nassr. Photo/ India Posts English.

Brazilian forward Talisca opened the scoring for Al Nassr in the 25th minute with a slick turn and finish after collecting a brilliant pass from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich man Sadio Mane then doubled Al Nassr’s lead eleven minutes into the second half. Al-Duhail goalkeeper had made a mess of an attempt to gather a cross when Mane found the back of the net.

Cristiano Ronaldo then scored from a distance in the 61st minute to give his side a three-goal lead. Al Nassr seemed to be cruising into a comfortable win but Ismaeel Mohammad and Almoez Ali scored two quick goals to bring Al-Duhail back into the match.

Al-Duhail were playing well under the inspiration of former FC Barcelona and Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho and looked to be staging a comeback. But with nine minutes remaining, Ronaldo appeared to have had the final say when he scored another brilliant goal with his left foot.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner sprinted on to a long ball from Sultan Al Ghannam and lashed home a superb volley without breaking stride. However, there was still time for another twist as Michael Olunga pulled made the scores 4-3 in the 85th minute to ensure a tense final minutes.

Speaking after the match, Al-Duhail manager Christophe Galtier praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance in the match. Galtier, who previously managed Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, described Ronaldo as the best player in the world.

“When you face Ronaldo, there isn’t much you can do. Best in the world. He scored two beautiful goals. I’m at a loss for words to describe him. What he did today is extraordinary for a 38-year-old. He’s still the best player in the world.” Philstar Global quotes Christophe Galtier.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a spectacular brace as Al Nassr beat Al-Duhail. Photo/ Mashable ME.

Al-Nassr’s victory moves them to three points clear of Iran’s Persepolis, who are placed second in Group E. Persepolis secured a 2-0 win over Tehran against FC Istiklol of Tajikistan. Alireza Beiranvand made a seventh minute penalty save to deny Senin Sebai before Saeid Sadeghi scored a brace for his side.

Only the winners of each of the ten groups in the AFC Champions League will advance to the knockout stages. They will then be joined by the three best runners-up from the eastern and western halves of the draw.