On Monday, October 12, 2026, the Saudi Pro League champions pushed past a security interruption lasting an hour to beat Uzbekistan’s Neftchi 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting Al-Nassr’s second goal. Kick-off at Riyadh was postponed after a safety warning from Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence amid regional missile threats.
Angelo and Ronaldo Break the Deadlock After Security Interruption
Ange Postecoglou’s side shook off the pre-match disruption to take the lead in the 33rd minute when Angelo struck with a deflected effort. Just nine minutes later, Ronaldo doubled the advantage. Sadio Mane delivered a looping cross from the left flank, which Aiman Yahya redirected into Ronaldo’s path with his chest. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward lashed the ball into the bottom corner with a decisive shot on the turn.
Neftchi reduced the deficit six minutes into the second half through Alisher Odilov. However, the visitors’ momentum was checked when Ikromjon Alibaev received a red card for a foul on Mohamed Simakan in the 65th minute. Anvarjon Gofurov then turned the ball into his own net 13 minutes later, sealing the 3-1 victory for Al-Nassr.
Defending Champions Al-Ahli Secure First Campaign Win
In another AFC Champions League Elite fixture, defending champions Al-Ahli claimed their first win of the new campaign by beating Al-Wasl of the United Arab Emirates 3-1. Marino Pusic’s side relied on a strong second-half display after Roger Ibanez had opened the scoring with a 20th-minute header. Pedro Malheiro leveled for Al-Wasl in the third minute of first-half stoppage time.
Trincao restored Al-Ahli’s lead in the 58th minute before Feras Al-Brikan added a third in the 91st minute. The result moved Al-Ahli onto four points from their opening two matches. "We created also in the first half but in the second half we made our goals and I think that was the difference," Trincao said after the match. "Physically we were a little bit better and that was the key to changing the game."
| Fixture | Result | Key Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Nassr vs. Neftchi | 3 – 1 | Angelo, C. Ronaldo, A. Odilov, A. Gofurov (OG) |
| Al-Ahli vs. Al-Wasl | 3 – 1 | R. Ibanez, P. Malheiro, Trincao, F. Al-Brikan |
| Al-Ain vs. Air Force Club | 4 – 1 | H. Rahimi (2) |
| Esteghlal vs. Al-Gharafa | 2 – 1 | H. Goudarzi |
Continental Results Across West Asia
Elsewhere in the region, Houssine Rahimi scored twice to lead Al-Ain to a 4-1 victory over Air Force Club in Basra. Iran’s Esteghlal secured a 2-1 win against Al-Gharafa thanks to a 60th-minute goal from Hossein Goudarzi. Meanwhile, a last-minute penalty from Dostonbek Khamdamov rescued a 1-1 draw for Pakhtakor against Brendan Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah in Tashkent. Iran’s Tractor played out a 0-0 stalemate with Qatar’s Al-Shamal. The top eight finishers in the 16-team league phase across both east and west Asia will advance to the knockout rounds.
