RONALDO’S AL NASSR WELL BEATEN BY AL AIN’S BATTLERS
▶ Portuguese superstar and his side go down to first-half goal by Rahimi in first leg of their ACL quarter-final
Oh, Al Ain, can we have more nights like this? This was an evening when the UAE’s most decorated club welcomed Al Nassr’s galaxy of stars from Saudi Arabia, their Hazza bin Zayed Stadium teeming and trembling, and sent them packing with a deserved defeat.
Sofiane Rahimi grabbed the game’s only goal, Khalid Essa twice repelled Cristiano Ronaldo somehow, Aymeric Laporte saw red late on, and Al Ain seized the upper hand in this Asian Champions League quarter-final.
Nassr, on their longest unbeaten run in the continent’s premier club competition at eight matches, were seen off by a display full of determination and discipline from the 2003 champions. Some devastating play, too.
First leg complete, if this is anything to go by, there remains plenty left in the tie yet, though. To think Al Ain did it yesterday while shorn of Kodjo Laba, their own lead light, only accentuates their performance. The Togo forward, as good a goal guarantee as you can get in UAE football, sits as the current top scorer in the 2023/24 Arabian Gulf League.
In the Champions League, his record reads six goals from as many matches.
But, with Laba out injured, playmaker Rahimi led the line with aplomb.
The Moroccan ended as man of the match. There could have been many more.
Nassr had their absences, also, namely World Cup finalist Marcelo Brozovic, former Manchester United full-back Alex Telles, and Anderson Talisca, the prolific Brazilian with five goals in his past two matches.
Despite those who had not made the trip, Luis Castro could still call upon Ronaldo, Manchester City treble-winner Laporte, Portugal international Otavio, and Sadio Mane. The latter, a late addition to Nassr’s match-day squad, has won Europe’s Champions League, England’s Premier League, and Africa’s Cup of Nations.
With Colombia No 1 David Ospina finally back following last season’s injury, it was hardly Nassr-lite. Ronaldo was always going to play protagonist.
Such is Ronaldo’s reputation and résumé, that his every move is monitored, his every mistake or misplaced pass greeted with howls of derision from opposing fans. The Al Ain faithful were no different, not early on when the Portuguese superstar attempted a stepover, stumbled on the ball and was unceremoniously cleaned out by a combination of Al Ain’s midfield.
Then, not long after, the Nassr captain eyed a looping ball close to the Al Ain goal, shaped for an overhead kick, but spooned his attempt well off target. Not for the first time, chants of “Messi”, that old foe from the days at the pinnacle of world football, reverberated around the stadium.
Al Ain thought they had taken the lead close to the half-hour.
Rahimi was sent clear on the right, and his low centre was finished superbly by Kaku. The stadium erupted; so too the Nassr bench, who led by Castro, stormed down the touchline en masse to remonstrate with the referee’s assistant.
Following a VAR review, their protestations were answered. The goal was chalked off for offside.
However, Al Ain would have the opener to reward their endeavour. In first-half stoppage time, a swift move found its way to Kaku who, roles reversed, slid in Rahimi.
This time, he stayed onside, nudging the ball beyond the onrushing Ospina before rolling into the net. Al Ain would not be denied once more; the goal was more than deserved.
As the hosts caught breath, Nassr nearly punished them. But Ronaldo’s rasping half volley from close-range was saved superbly by Essa.
At the beginning of the second half, Ronaldo had another go, yet he could not keep down Yahya’s bouncing cross.
As the five-time Ballon d’Or grew ever-more frustrated by those in Al Ain white constantly snapping at his heels, his side looked to have slipped to two down. Rahimi scored on the counter, but it was ruled out.
Replays showed he was quite some way beyond the Nassr backline when the release pass was played. And then, Essa produced an incredible stop to thwart Ronaldo.
For once, Al Ain failed to deal with a Nassr cross, and the ball arrived at the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star eight yards out. Leaping initially across goal and in the other direction, Essa threw out an arm to block. Ronaldo threw his head in his hands.
In injury time, Laporte thrust his elbow into Bandar Al Ahbabi’s back, the referee consulted VAR, and brandished the defender a straight red.
It rather summed up Nassr’s night. Yes, they can go again in what is sure to be a raucous Riyadh in a week’s time, but the first leg at least, belonged to a defiant and dazzling Al Ain.
Hernan Crespo’s team were deserved winners against the Saudi club’s starry collection of world-class talents