Saudi Arabia Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal helped Al Nassr hold Zamalek to a 1-1 draw, qualifying for the group stage of the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup.
Scorers: Ronaldo 87 - Sayed penalty 53
Al Nassr were on the brink of elimination in the group stage until the 87th minute, when defender Ghislain Konan broke through on the left and crossed for Ronaldo to head home from 10 metres. The 1-1 scoreline was enough to see Al Nassr through, but the Portuguese superstar quickly picked up the ball and headed it back to the centre of the pitch in an attempt to score another goal. Despite failing to do so, Ronaldo and his teammates still secured a place in the quarter-finals as runners-up in Group C.
Ronaldo's header helped Al Nassr draw 1-1 with Zamalek at King Fahd Stadium in Taif, Saudi Arabia on the evening of August 3, 2023. Photo: TCR
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 ran from July 27 to August 12, with 16 teams divided into four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.
After three matches, Al Nassr won one, drew two, earned five points and finished second in Group C behind Al Shabab. Zamalek, the Egyptian representative, finished third with four points and was eliminated. Of the eight teams in the quarter-finals, four are from Saudi Arabia: Al Nassr, Al Shabab, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad. Ronaldo and his teammates will meet Raja Club (Morocco) in the quarter-finals on August 6.
Ronaldo did not score in the first match against Al Shabab, but scored to help his team defeat Union Monastirienne (Tunisia) 4-1 in the second match. Al Nassr unexpectedly fell behind Zamalek in the final match, but escaped defeat thanks to Ronaldo. At the end of the match, some spectators at King Fahd Stadium lit flares to celebrate Al Nassr's achievement.
Ronaldo's goal against Zamalek.
With two goals in the tournament, Ronaldo is currently tied for second in the race for the Golden Boot. Leading the way is striker Karim Benzema, who has scored three goals in three games for Al Ittihad. All three goals were decisive, helping Al Ittihad win all group matches. Their quarter-final opponents are Al Hilal on August 5.
Ronaldo also raised his career record to 840 goals, a world record. In the next match, he is likely to play alongside new signing Sadio Mane, helping Al Nassr strengthen its attack. Coach Luis Castro and his team are aiming for the first title for Al Nassr since 2020.
Hoang An
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