Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 981st professional career goal as Al Nassr secured a 3–1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in the AFC Champions League Elite, despite a security scare in Saudi Arabia’s capital that delayed the match by an hour.
The match at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh was postponed following security concerns over reported ballistic missile launches towards the city. A Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed several ballistic missiles heading towards Riyadh. Saudi civil defence authorities subsequently issued a security alert, prompting officials to delay the fixture.
At least three loud explosions were reportedly heard in Riyadh that night. A small number of spectators were already seated inside the stadium, while players from both sides waited for the situation to be clarified. The television broadcaster announced the one-hour delay 15 minutes before the scheduled kick-off.
Play eventually began after a stadium announcement indicated that the situation was safe. Despite the tense circumstances surrounding the fixture, Al Nassr produced a convincing performance to claim their first victory in the competition.
Angel Gabriel opened the scoring for the Saudi side in the 30th minute, giving the hosts an early advantage. Ronaldo then doubled their lead in the 42nd minute, shortly before half-time.
The goal took the Portuguese forward’s professional career tally to 981. Since joining Al Nassr in January 2023, he has scored 134 goals for the club, underlining his continued importance to the team at the age of 41.
Neftchi Fergana responded after the interval, reducing the deficit in the 51st minute. The Uzbek side, six-time champions of their domestic league, sought to mount a comeback but suffered another setback when an own goal in the 78th minute restored Al Nassr’s two-goal advantage.
The match ended 3–1, giving Al Nassr a much-needed boost after their disappointing opening fixture. On 15 September, the Saudi club had suffered a heavy 4–0 defeat against Al Ain in their opening match of the AFC Champions League Elite campaign. The victory over Neftchi marked the club’s first win in the competition under coach Ange Postecoglou.
Ronaldo Faces Off-Field Scrutiny
The victory came at a time when Ronaldo was also attracting attention over developments involving Portugal’s national team.
Following the defeat against Al Ain, the forward reportedly became embroiled in a disagreement with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and left the national team camp during preparations for the UEFA Nations League before returning to Al Nassr. He later apologised to his team-mates and supporters, acknowledging his mistake.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed on Saturday that disciplinary proceedings concerning Ronaldo had been initiated and referred to a committee for investigation.
While the outcome of that investigation remains a separate issue, Ronaldo returned to the spotlight on the pitch with a decisive contribution against Neftchi. His goal helped Al Nassr recover from their opening defeat and secure three valuable points in Asia’s premier club competition.
For Al Nassr, the victory offered a measure of relief after a difficult start to the campaign. The team will now look to build on the result and establish greater consistency in the remaining fixtures, while Ronaldo’s scoring form is likely to remain central to their ambitions.
