Ronaldo double bolsters Al Nassr’s ACL place

Cristiano Ronaldo netted a pair of objectives in Al Nassr’s Asian Champions League win over Al Gharafa at Al-Bayt Stadium on Monday.

Ronaldo was a annoyed determine within the opening 45 minutes, however headed within the opener inside the primary minute of the second half to ship his aspect on their method to victory.

Angelo Gabriel rounded goalkeeper Sergio Rico to attain the second 12 minutes later and Ronaldo hit the third within the sixty fourth minute as Al Nassr transfer onto 13 factors from their opening 5 video games regardless of Joselu’s late comfort for the house aspect.

Al Nassr will goal to increase their successful run once they face Qatari aspect Al Sadd subsequent Tuesday, whereas Al Gharafa tackle Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney got here off the bench to attain twice and earn Al Ahli a 2-1 win over Al-Ain on Monday that strikes the Saudi aspect into the knockout rounds and leaves the defending champions in peril of lacking out on the spherical of 16.

Toney changed Feras Al-Brikan within the sixty fifth minute at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and hit each his objectives in a four-minute spell to present Al Ahli a fifth win in a row within the competitors and assure their place within the subsequent part.

Groups ending within the high eight within the 12-team leagues in west and east Asia progress to the knockout rounds in March and Al Ahli have confirmed their place with three video games remaining within the league part.

Toney broke the impasse with 20 minutes remaining when he headed Riyad Mahrez’s free kick previous Khalid Eisa and, 4 minutes later, he doubled the benefit when he mixed once more with the previous Manchester Metropolis winger to slip within the second.

Defending champions Al-Ain had picked up just one level from 4 video games previous to internet hosting Al Ahli on Monday and Alejandro Romero’s aim three minutes into harm time gave new coach Leonardo Jardim and his group hope of a late comeback.

However Al Ahli held on to maneuver to the highest of the western standings, three factors forward of compatriots Al Hilal, who face Qatar’s Al-Sadd on Tuesday, whereas Al-Ain stay rooted to the underside on a solitary level with three video games remaining.

Info from Reuters was used on this story.