Advantage Al Ain Ronaldo Al Nassr put back foot

Al Ain ends Al Nassr's undefeated streak in AFC Champions League with a 1-0 victory, questioning Saudi club's semi-final appearance.

In a thrilling and intense battle on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr suffered a 1-0 defeat to Al Ain in the first leg of their AFC Champions League quarterfinal match. The match, held at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, saw Soufiane Rahimi score the only goal in the 44th minute, ending Nassr's impressive run of eight matches without a loss in the continental championship. This result has now put a slight question mark over Nassr's hopes for a third consecutive semi-final appearance.

Despite missing star striker Kodjo Laba due to injury, Al Ain's Rahimi stepped up and delivered an outstanding performance, scoring his sixth goal in the competition and matching Laba's tally as the club's highest scorer this season. Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa made crucial saves, denying Ronaldo on two occasions, while Nassr suffered a setback with Aymeric Laporte receiving a red card in added time.

Both teams had their chances throughout the match, with Rahimi's goal just before half-time proving to be the decider. Despite Nassr's efforts to equalize in the second half, they were unable to break through Al Ain's defense. The match was filled with intensity, resulting in numerous fouls and yellow cards, leading to extended added time.

The second leg of the quarter-final is set to take place in Saudi Arabia, where Al Nassr will look to overturn the deficit and secure a spot in the semi-finals. The stage is set for another thrilling encounter between these two competitive teams as they battle it out for a spot in the next round of the tournament.