Mahrez Shines with First Goal in Al-Ahli Win
Oct 01, 2024
Al-Nassr secured a crucial 2-1 win against Al-Rayyan thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal, while Al-Ahli celebrated Riyad Mahrez's strong performance in their 2-0 triumph over Al-Wasl.

In the AFC Champions League Elite group stage on Monday, Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia defeated Al-Rayyan from Qatar 2-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the game-winning goal.
A viral infection prevented the five-time Ballon d'Or recipient from participating in Al-Nassr's inaugural 1-1 tie against Al-Shorta of Iraq a fortnight ago. However, he showcased his prowess on Monday by expertly placing a shot into the uppermost corner of the goal, albeit disallowed due to an offside call. Nonetheless, his precise goal, with a mere 14 minutes left in the Riyadh match, ultimately determined the outcome.
In the first half, Sadio Mane, a former Liverpool forward, skillfully executed a header to secure a goal for Al-Nassr. Shortly thereafter, Ronaldo contributed to the team's success by adding a second point.
Al-Rayan made a remarkable comeback within three minutes of the game's conclusion, as Roger Guedes skillfully scored a close-range goal.
Al-Nassr, who are in pursuit of their maiden Asian title, managed to persevere until the end.
Riyad Mahrez confidently netted his inaugural goal of the season, contributing to Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia's consecutive triumph with an impressive 2-0 victory over Al-Wasl of the United Arab Emirates.
The Algerian striker had been having physical issues since joining the Jeddah team in 2023 after leaving Manchester City.
Mahrez opened the scoring within a mere three minutes, showcasing his exceptional skill as he adeptly found the back of the net from within the designated area. This remarkable goal was made possible by an excellent long pass from defender Roger Ibanez. Equally impressive, just seven minutes before the end of the first half, Mahrez demonstrated his proficiency by beautifully assisting Ibanez with a powerful header to secure another goal.
In a different match, Esteghlal of Iran was defeated 2-0 by Al-Sadd of Qatar. In the meantime, Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor and Tehran-based competitor Persepolis were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
The twenty-four teams are carefully split into two 12-team groups, one for each of the western and eastern regions. Each group's top eight teams will proceed to the round of 16 with success.
