Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his timeless brilliance as he led Al Nassr to a commanding 4-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite on Saturday. The Portuguese superstar added yet another goal to his illustrious career, propelling his team into the semifinals.
The 38-year-old forward netted his eighth goal of the continental tournament during a dominant first-half performance in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which is hosting all of the tournament’s games from this weekend’s quarterfinals through the final on May 3.
Al Nassr set the tone early, with Jhon Duran, who joined the club in January, opening the scoring from close range. Just four minutes later, Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool forward, doubled the lead with a fierce low shot from the left side of the penalty area.
Before the halftime whistle, Ronaldo capitalized on a rebound after goalkeeper Park Ilgyu failed to hold onto a shot from Marcelo Brozovic. Ronaldo’s close-range finish gave Al Nassr a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break, marking his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Duran struck again just four minutes into the second half, extending Al Nassr’s lead to 4-0. Although Anderson Lopes managed to score a consolation goal for Yokohama F. Marinos, it wasn’t enough to challenge the Saudi team’s dominance.
Al Nassr will face either Al Sadd of Qatar or Kawasaki Frontale of Japan in Wednesday’s semifinal, with the latter two set to meet on Sunday. With their star-studded lineup and Ronaldo’s leadership, Al Nassr is optimistic about securing their first-ever continental championship.
