Al-Nassr vs Neftchi : Cristiano Ronaldo found the net as Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, October 12, 2026. The match in Riyadh began around an hour later than planned after a security alert disrupted preparations.
The delay came shortly before the scheduled kick-off, when Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued a safety warning amid reports of missile threats targeting the region. Once the situation was considered safe, the match went ahead, and Al-Nassr secured an important victory.
Angelo and Ronaldo Put Al-Nassr in Control
Al-Nassr needed time to settle after the unexpected interruption, but the Saudi side eventually took the lead in the 33rd minute. Angelo opened the scoring with a shot that took a deflection on its way into the net.
Ronaldo extended the advantage shortly before half-time. Sadio Mane sent a high cross into the penalty area, and Aiman Yahya used his chest to direct the ball towards the Portuguese forward. Ronaldo then turned and fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
The goal gave Al-Nassr a two-goal cushion and put the experienced forward on the scoresheet in a match that had been overshadowed by events outside the stadium.
Neftchi Fight Backbone but Red Card Changes the Game
Neftchi returned from half-time with a stronger attacking effort and reduced the deficit through Alisher Odilov six minutes into the second half.
The visitors’ hopes of mounting a comeback suffered a major setback in the 65th minute. Ikromjon Alibaev received a red card for a foul on Mohamed Simakan, leaving Neftchi with ten players for the remainder of the match.
Al-Nassr vs Neftchi : Al-Nassr took advantage of the numerical advantage and moved further ahead in the 78th minute when Neftchi defender Anvarjon Gofurov scored an own goal. That incident settled the contest, with the Saudi side holding on for a 3-1 win.
Al-Ahli Secure Their First Win of the Battle
Elsewhere in the competition, defending champions Al-Ahli recorded a 3-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates’ Al-Wasl.
Roger Ibanez opened the scoring with a header in the 20th minute. Al-Wasl responded in first-half stoppage time, when Pedro Malheiro brought the teams level.
Al-Ahli improved after the break and regained the lead through Trincao in the 58th minute. Feras Al-Brikan then scored in the 91st minute to confirm the win.
The result gave Al-Ahli four points from their first two matches of the campaign.
After the match, Trincao said his team had created chances before half-time but had been more effective after the interval. He also pointed to the players’ physical condition as an important factor in the second-half improvement.
Al-Ain Claim a Convincing Victory
Al-Ain produced another strong performance by beating Iraq’s Air Force Club 4-1 in Basra. Houssine Rahimi scored twice as the UAE side took control of the match.
The victory strengthened Al-Ain’s position in the competition and continued their positive start to the league phase.
In another fixture, Iran’s Esteghlal defeated Qatar’s Al-Gharafa 2-1. Hossein Goudarzi scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute after the teams had traded goals earlier in the match.
Late Penalty Earns Pakhtakor a Draw
Pakhtakor rescued a point against Al-Qadsiah after Dostonbek Khamdamov converted a penalty in the final minute to secure a 1-1 draw in Tashkent.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Tractor and Qatar’s Al-Shamal played out a goalless draw. Neither team managed to find a breakthrough during the match.
How the AFC Champions League Elite League Phase Works
The competition’s league phase features separate groups for teams from East Asia and West Asia. Clubs compete to finish among the leading sides in their respective regions.
The top eight teams in each 16-team group will qualify for the knockout rounds. As the league phase progresses, every point could prove important in determining which clubs advance to the next stage.
Al-Nassr’s win over Neftchi provided a positive result after an unusual and tense build-up. Ronaldo’s goal, Angelo’s opener and the late own goal helped the Saudi club secure all three points, while the security delay remained a significant part of the night’s story.
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