Ronaldo Boosts Al Nassr's ACL Knockout Hopes; Toney Shines for Al Ahli

 Ronaldo Boosts Al Nassr's ACL Knockout Hopes; Toney Shines for Al Ahli

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Al Nassr’s 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa in the Asian Champions League at Al-Bayt Stadium on Monday, helping his team maintain their strong position in the competition.

Ronaldo had a quiet first half but came to life in the second, heading in the opening goal just after the break. Angelo Gabriel then added a second by rounding goalkeeper Sergio Rico, and Ronaldo sealed the win with a third goal in the 64th minute. Despite a late goal from Joselu for Al Gharafa, Al Nassr secured all three points, bringing their total to 13 points from five games.

Al Nassr will look to extend their unbeaten run when they face Al Sadd from Qatar next Tuesday, while Al Gharafa will play Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.

In another match on Monday, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney played a pivotal role in Al Ahli’s 2-1 win over Al-Ain, securing his team’s place in the knockout rounds. Toney, who came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, scored both goals in a quick four-minute period to help Al Ahli claim their fifth consecutive victory in the competition.

Al Ahli's triumph moved them into the knockout phase, with three games still to play. The top eight teams in both the western and eastern Asian leagues will progress to the next stage, and Al Ahli is assured of their spot.

Toney broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, heading a free kick from Riyad Mahrez past Al-Ain’s goalkeeper Khalid Eisa. Four minutes later, the pair combined again, and Toney slid in a second goal to double the lead.

Al-Ain, the defending champions, had struggled in the competition, picking up just one point from their first four matches. Alejandro Romero’s injury-time goal gave Al-Ain some hope of a comeback, but Al Ahli held firm to secure the win and move to the top of the western standings, three points clear of Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Al-Ain remains at the bottom with just one point.