Cristiano Ronaldo missed a clear opportunity for Al Nassr to level the score in the AFC Champions League elimination against Kawasaki Frontale.
Al Nassr and Kawasaki Frontale squared off at Alinma Stadium in the AFC Champions League semifinals with a spot in the final on the line. In stoppage time, Cristiano Ronaldo missed a clear chance that ultimately sealed his team’s elimination.
Kawasaki opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a spectacular volley from Tatsuya Ito, who placed the ball in the top corner from the edge of the box. Al Nassr responded in the 28th minute, when Sadio Mané equalized after a deflected shot found its way into the back of the net.
The Japanese side regained control late in the first half. Yuto Ozeki gave them the lead in the 41st minute, and Akihiro Ienaga extended the advantage to 3–1 in the 76th. Ayman Yahya cut the deficit to 3–2 in the 87th, setting up a dramatic finish as Al Nassr pushed for the equalizer.
In the 95th minute, Al Nassr nearly tied it. Mohamed Simakan launched a long ball that was headed down by Aymeric Laporte, setting up Cristiano Ronaldo one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Ronaldo beat the keeper with a delicate touch, but when he attempted to finish with his left foot, he failed to connect cleanly—squandering a golden chance in the final moments.
With the 3–2 win over Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, Kawasaki Frontale advance to the AFC Champions League final, where they will face Al Ahli. The Saudi club booked their place after a 3–1 win over Al Hilal on Tuesday.
*Developing story…
