Al Nassr Beat Neftchi 3-1 After Riyadh Security Alert Delays Kick-Off
Al Nassr resumed their AFC Champions League Elite campaign with a 3-1 win over Neftchi on Monday after kick-off was pushed back by one hour because of a major security alert in Riyadh.
Why the result matters for Al Nassr
| Match detail | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Final score | Al Nassr 3-1 Neftchi |
| Delayed kick-off | One hour |
| Al Nassr league position | 8th, 3 points |
| Ronaldo career goals | 981 |
The match went ahead only after security assurances were issued following the interception of a ballistic missile directed at Riyadh by a Saudi-led coalition. Mobile alerts advised residents to remain indoors, while both sets of players waited in the stadium tunnel. The crowd was largely absent when play eventually began.
Al Nassr handled the interruption well and established a two-goal advantage before half-time. Angelo Gabriel struck first before Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute, driving a powerful effort beyond the Neftchi goalkeeper.
Neftchi responded six minutes after the restart through Alisher Odilov, but their attempt to build on that goal was damaged when Ekromjon Alibaev was dismissed in the 65th minute. Al Nassr restored their two-goal cushion in the 78th minute when Anvarjon Gofurov turned the ball into his own net.
The victory takes Al Nassr to eighth in the overall AFC Champions League Elite table on three points. Neftchi, placed seventh, have the same total but retain the higher position on goal difference.
Ronaldo’s goal moved him to 981 in his senior career, leaving the 1,000-goal mark 19 away. It also came during a period in which he remains available to Al Nassr while serving a provisional suspension imposed by the Portuguese Football Federation.
The forward left the Portugal camp last month after a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus over his playing time. Ronaldo described his exclusion from the starting side as an “absolute breach of trust”.
Portugal situation remains unresolved
A final decision on Ronaldo’s international suspension has yet to be made. Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca has nevertheless said there is a shared desire for the national-team captain to return, with discussions continuing in a calmer atmosphere among the parties involved.
