Cristiano Ronaldo spearheaded Al Nassr’s dominant 4-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos on Saturday, propelling the Saudi Arabian giants into the semifinals of the AFC Champions League Semi Finals.
The 40-year-old Portuguese superstar scored his eighth goal of the tournament in a commanding first-half performance in Jeddah, which is hosting all knockout stage matches leading up to the final on May 3rd.
Al Nassr will now face either Qatar’s Al Sadd or Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in Wednesday’s semifinal, with those two teams set to clash on Sunday.
Jhon Durán, the January signing from Aston Villa for over $100 million, opened the scoring for Al Nassr from close range. Just four minutes later, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mané doubled their advantage with a powerful low drive from the left side of the area.
Before the halftime whistle, Ronaldo ensured Al Nassr had a firm foot in the semifinals. Yokohama F. Marinos goalkeeper Park Il-kyu spilled a shot from Marcelo Brozovic, leaving Ronaldo with a simple close-range finish – his 33rd goal of the season across all competitions.
Durán grabbed his second goal of the match and Al Nassr’s fourth shortly after the restart. Anderson Lopes managed to pull a consolation goal back for the five-time Japanese champions, but it proved to be too little, too late.
In the other quarterfinal played in Jeddah, Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League rivals, Al Ahli, also secured their place in the semifinals with a comfortable 3-0 win over Thailand’s Buriram United.
Al Ahli’s victory was built on a blistering start. Former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring with a low shot from the right after just four minutes, following a Buriram defensive lapse. Two minutes later, Brazilian winger Galeno made it 2-0, and Roberto Firmino completed the scoring.
Al Ahli, who have been AFC Champions League finalists twice before, will now face fellow Saudi Arabian powerhouse and four-time champions Al Hilal in an all-Saudi semifinal on Tuesday.
Al Hilal had earlier demonstrated their firepower with a resounding 7-0 thrashing of South Korea’s Gwangju on Friday, with an impressive seven different players getting on the scoresheet.
Despite some recent inconsistent form in the Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus expressed his delight with the result and performance. “We’ve been under pressure in the Saudi Pro League, and the players have shown great focus despite that,” Jesus said. “Without commitment, we couldn’t have achieved this. I believe we’re on the right path, creating a good atmosphere for everyone involved — players and staff.”
The stage is now set for an exciting final four in the AFC Champions League Semi Finals, with two Saudi Arabian giants on a collision course for a place in the final.
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