Ronaldo takes Al Nassr to Arab Champions Cup final

Saudi Arabia 38-year-old superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty as Al Nassr beat Al Shorta 1-0 in the Arab Club Champions Cup semi-finals.

Goal: Ronaldo penalty 75

In the 73rd minute, Sadio Mane broke through the penalty area and fell after being hit by defender Faisal Jasim. The ball fell near Ronaldo but he did not compete for it but ran towards the referee to pressure him for a penalty. A moment later, when Al Shorta got the ball, the referee stopped the match to go to the sideline to review the situation because VAR intervened. Then the referee blew the penalty for Al Nassr, and Ronaldo did not miss this opportunity to shoot to the right corner to open the score.

Ronaldo (No. 7) celebrates the only goal that helped Al Nassr defeat Al Shorta in the Arab Club Champions Cup semi-finals in Abha city, Saudi Arabia on August 9, 2023. Photo: AlNassr

Ronaldo ran to the corner of the field to do a spinning jump to celebrate the goal, then chest-bumped Mane. The stands also echoed with "siuuu" sounds when Ronaldo jumped high, then the audience opened their phones to turn on the lights to shine down on the field to create a bokeh effect.

Mane was more outstanding than Ronaldo in this match, with his dribbling moves creating breakthroughs against the multi-layered defense of the Iraqi club. In the 86th minute, Mane fell in the penalty area again, causing VAR to intervene again, but this time the referee did not award a penalty. Two minutes later, Mane crossed the ball for Ronaldo to head in unmarked from 5 meters away, but goalkeeper Ahmed Basil Fadhil dived to save beautifully. Al Shorta counterattacked immediately after, bringing midfielder Ahmed Farhan down to face him, but his chip could not get past goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi.

Main events of the match.

Al Shorta are the reigning Iraqi champions, with an Opta Power of 74.6, compared to Al Nassr's 77.7. Al Shorta's squad includes many Iraqi players - the team will face Vietnam in the group stage of the 2024 Asian Cup and the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. The club played well until they conceded a goal, preventing stars like Ronaldo, Mane or Marcelo Brozovic from dominating.

Ronaldo was celebrated in the 31st minute, also from a sudden turn by Mane. However, VAR then determined that the 38-year-old superstar was offside, even though it was only by a few centimeters. After that, Ronaldo almost assisted Alex Telles, but the defender's shot hit the crossbar and bounced out.

After the final whistle, Al Nassr players ran to hug each other, and they especially congratulated goalkeeper Alaqidi for his important save at the end of the match. In the stands, a fan lit a flare to celebrate Al Nassr reaching the final. Their opponents will be Al Hilal or Al Shabab, on August 12.

Ronaldo dribbles the ball in the win over Al Shorta. Photo: AlNassr

Ronaldo has scored in four consecutive games, climbing to the top of the Golden Boot race, surpassing Karim Benzema. He also has the chance to break a two-year title drought, with Al Nassr needing just one more win.

The Arab Club Champions Cup is an annual tournament for Arab clubs in the Middle East and North Africa. Al Nassr entered this year's tournament at the invitation of the Arab Football Association, without having to play in the qualifying round. The tournament took place from July 27 to August 12 in Saudi Arabia, with 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.

Hoang An

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