Video: with Moroccan feet, Al Ain crush Al Nassr and spoil Cristiano Ronaldo's return to the elite
Al-Ain defeated Al-Nassr 4-0 in the AFC Champions League Elite, with Moroccan brothers Hussein and Soufiane Rahimi scoring three of the goals. The loss marks a disappointing start for Cristiano Ronaldo's team in the elite competition.
Why it matters
The match demonstrates the competitive level of Asian club football and the significant impact of individual player performances on high-stakes tournament outcomes.
Al-Alami in the windAl-Nassr's return to the AFC Champions League Elite went nowhere near as Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates had hoped. Their visit to the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium turned into a bruising night, with Al-Ain running out comprehensive 4-0 winners to prove they can take on one of the continent's biggest clubs.Ronaldo's side wanted a statement start on their comeback to the elite competition, having spent last season in the AFC Champions League Two. Al-Ain had other ideas. The hosts pounced on every slip and made each one hurt.The Rahimi family hit Al-Nassr with a trebleJust 25 minutes were all Al-Ain needed to break the deadlock through Hussein Rahimi. Saad Al-Nasser was the culprit, the left-back playing a hopeless ball despite having time and space, and Rahimi seized on it before slotting it through the legs of Nawaf Al-Aqidi.%WIDGET:TWITTER_POST|https://twitter.com/shark_puffs_/status/2099900019558252729%Read also..
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