Cristiano Ronaldo shines as Al Nassr defeat Al Gharafa in AFC Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a stellar performance for Al Nassr, scoring twice in their 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa in Qatar on Monday.

The win brought the Saudi champions closer to securing a spot in the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.

The 39-year-old captain broke the deadlock just 50 seconds into the second half with a precise header from Sultan Al Ghannam’s cross. Angelo Gabriel, a summer acquisition from Chelsea, doubled Al Nassr’s lead in the 58th minute and later set up Ronaldo for his second goal six minutes later. Ronaldo’s brace took his tally to four goals in this season’s competition.

Al Gharafa managed a consolation goal through Joselu, Ronaldo’s former teammate at Real Madrid, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Seydou Sano received a red card for a second bookable offense in the 84th minute.

With this win, Al Nassr remains unbeaten in five matches and climbs to second in the Western group standings, requiring just two points from their remaining three games to advance to the next stage.

Ivan Toney Propels Al Ahli to Knockout Stage

In another standout match, Al Ahli maintained their perfect record with a 2-1 victory over defending Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE. England international Ivan Toney, introduced as a substitute in the 65th minute, made an immediate impact, scoring twice to secure Al Ahli’s place in the knockouts for the first time.

Toney’s first goal came from a well-placed header off Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick, and he added a second just four minutes later, finishing a long pass from Mahrez. Al Ain responded with a stunning late volley from Kaka but could not overturn the deficit.

Al Ahli now leads the Western standings with 15 points, having won all five of their group matches.

In other group action, Iran’s Esteghlal played out a goalless draw against Pakhtakor Tashkent of Uzbekistan in Dubai.

The stage is set for thrilling encounters as the AFC Champions League Elite heads towards its decisive stages.