Updated date: 09/20/2023 18:19:38
Also coming to the tournament called Champions League, but the king of goals in the number 1 club tournament in Europe, Cristiano Ronaldo, could not score on the first day of experiencing the number 1 arena in Asia. However, the Portuguese superstar is not the only case that has not met expectations.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score on the first day of his AFC Champions League experience
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 140 goals in 183 UEFA Champions League games, making him the tournament's all-time leading scorer - far ahead of second-placed Lionel Messi with 129. However, he failed to score in his first AFC Champions League match, as his team Al Nassr beat Persepolis (Iran) 2-0 in Tehran. Persepolis were even outnumbered for much of the second half after Milad Sarlak was sent off in the 52nd minute.
Ronaldo's other high-profile teammates Sadio Mane and Marcelo Brozovic - former UEFA Champions League winners and runners-up respectively - failed to shine either. Instead, Al Nassr's first win was secured by two local players, with striker Abdulrahman Ghareeb opening the scoring in the 62nd minute, and defender Mohammed Qassem doubling the lead 10 minutes later - also scoring his first goal for the club. "It was a good game, although the first half was a bit difficult for both teams," said Mane. "We played well in the second half, created some chances and scored two goals, and I think we deserved to win tonight."
Previously, striker Neymar had yet to find the first goal for Al Hilal after two appearances and the 31-year-old Brazilian star's new team was even held to a 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan's Navbahor. Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad were unable to present their Champions League top scorer and reigning Ballon d'Or winner, striker Karim Benzema, due to injury, but still defeated Uzbekistan's AGMK 3-0.
The transfer business of Saudi Arabian clubs this summer has ended with a total cost of up to 1 billion USD, bringing in a series of big stars and most of them joining the 4 biggest clubs under the control of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). Of which, 3 representatives participating in the AFC Champions League this year have "Europeanized" with a strong star squad. Including Al Nassr (with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Alex Telles, Seko Fofana, Aymeric Laporte. Otavio); Al Hilal (with Neymar, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Malcom, Yassine Bounou, Aleksandar Mitrovic); Al Ittihad (with Karim Benzema, Fabinho, N'Golo Kante, Jota, Luiz Felipe).
According to THANH TUAN (SGGP)
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